Tainted Soul
by LovelyHonour
Summary: Cuts, bruises, and broken bones will heal. But there is no needle out there big enough, nor any piece of thread long enough, to sew up the wounds of the heart. These days, I don't know how mine is still beating. (All human)
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**  
"Fear in Forks"

 ** **(Bella's POV)****

fear  
[fɪə]

 ** **NOUN****  
 ** **1.**** an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm  
 _synonyms_ : terror · fright · fearfulness · horror · alarm · panic

 ** **VERB****  
 ** **1.**** be afraid of (someone or something) as likely to be dangerous, painful, or harmful  
 _synonyms_ : be afraid of · be fearful of · be scared of · be apprehensive of

* * *

The round clock on the North wall of my bedroom is deafening in the silence. The strong _tick-tock_ is the only constant in my life but it also means that every day, including this cold Sunday night, time is moving. So, perhaps it isn't the sound that is constant, but rather time itself.

It measures our existence.

It is irreversible.

It cannot be stopped.

If an outsider were to walk into my room and find me right now, lying unmoving on my bed like a corpse, they might be concerned enough to ask if I was okay. Feeling as frightened as I did, perhaps I would be honest and tell them that I wasn't alright; that I needed help. But no one will ever check up on me because, being Chief Swan's daughter, it was meant to be guaranteed that I would be safe. They all think there's something wrong with me anyway so I suppose there's no use pondering over whether or not anyone _would_ care.

Maybe there _is_ something wrong with me.

My father would be waking from a drunken nap any time now, and I would be waiting for his heavy feet travelling up the stairs and towards my room. The cycle was tedious, but terrifying. I had no one to scream for and no reason to cry—that would only make it worse. I didn't really have anyone to tell, and what would I say? The Chief of Police beats his daughter? It sounded stupid, even in my head. No one would believe me.

Tonight would be just another cycle.

And time would keep moving.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**  
"Newcomers"

 **(Bella's POV) __**

 _"It's the simple things that are so hard to grasp_  
 _Can't find myself in all the days that passed_  
 _But I can feel it when it shines_  
 _Never mind, I'm falling in love—"_

I ripped my earplugs out of my ears in frustration, when I stepped out of my truck and into a puddle that the school might as well have named a lake. Why does it have to rain almost every single day here? Spread the damn love, God. Pour it somewhere that actually needs it, instead of this inconsequential town.  
However, to some people, Forks may not seem quite that unimportant. Perhaps there's something endearing about the place, from the outside at least. There doesn't seem to be an explanation for the arrival of anyone—never mind a family of seven. Yet, here we are on this cold Monday morning in Forks High School, about to become familiar with five of the newcomers at once.

What a shitty day to start a new school.

For them, this wouldn't be a regular first day. The student body here knew they were coming at least a week in advance and this undeserving family was the centre of gossip. I accidentally found out their names, where they were moving from and their father's occupation in the space of about two minutes.

Five juniors.

Five new faces.

Five more reasons to detest my life.

I didn't like to admit that I _was_ slightly curious about them. Even to my standards, this entire situation was very out of the ordinary and I just couldn't help that little bit of desire to know everything. What do they look like? Will they stand out? I didn't think they would blend in here, especially with that many of them walking around. Or, perhaps the fact that they're outsiders will isolate them from other students. Either way, with me here, they'll always know that it could be worse.

They should make friends easy enough. No doubt they'll have someone to talk to every corner they turn. People will be dying to approach them, to ask them questions: _Do you need help finding your next class? Do you like it here? Are you single?_ I almost pitied them. Mind you, I've never had anyone I could really call a friend so I'm in no place to make a judgement that isn't a little bitter. I have a couple of acquaintances who occasionally attempt communication with me in school but they aren't my friends. Lauren hasn't spoken to me so much recently and she only did before because she is the Queen of gossip here at Forks High School, and I used to be the closest pair of ears she had in multiple classes. Angela is kind, kinder than most of the kids in this place. I don't know very much about her. It's partially my fault; I tend not to get too close to anyone. It seems that the closer you are, the more you get hurt.

* * *

When the bell sounded for lunch, I trudged out of Biology with a throbbing headache towards the cafeteria. I waited in the line for ten minutes and all I ended up buying was a bottle of water. Truthfully, there was no room for complaint about the waiting time. No matter how long I stood there, I would still never waste my money on the food. Take a peak in the pasta tray and I'll bet you $10 you'll see something move.

I was walking towards a vacant table in the corner of the crowded room when two vaguely familiar voices called me simultaneously. I turned, trying to hide the surprise on my face, to see Angela and Eric standing shyly a few yards behind me.

"Yes?" I mumbled warily.

"Do you mind if we sit with you?" Angela asked quietly.

"That might not be a good idea."

Eric spoke before she could, "A friendly but non-irritating face would be quite pleasant at the moment, Isabella. That is, of course, if you don't mind."

The irony of my earlier thoughts and their sudden approach was humorous. Surely this wouldn't last; perhaps they were doing their good deed for the day. "If you want to risk being burned at the stake by our peers then go ahead."

I gave them a forced smile when they both made an effort to laugh at my almost-joke and I sat down, throwing my bag on the floor in front of me. Angela took the seat by me and Eric slowly lowered himself into the chair by her. I traced the lid of my bottle with my smallest finger, trying to mentally prepare for the impending uncomfortable silence if one of us didn't start a conversation. Even though I was around 33% responsible for providing some small talk, I didn't even attempt it.

"So..." Eric cleared his throat. "Er, the best way to start a friendship is with nicknames."

"Nicknames?" I repeated, mildly amused.

"Hell yeah," Angela said, nudging me playfully. "Although, last time we did this he threatened to hang me when I suggested _Ric-Dic_ as a sensible alternative."

I laughed at that, placing the unopened bottle on the table. They looked at one another after she spoke, the two of them obviously recalling a memory that I wasn't a part of. It was likely that it was one they shared only with each other. It was sweet, the way they locked eyes for just a second. Most people probably wouldn't have noticed it but my quiet nature has made me exceptionally perceptive.

"You guys have it easy," Eric muttered, taking a bite out of a very appetising homemade sandwich. "Ang, Angie, Angel, LaLa—"

"Please, not that last one," she interrupted, cringing.

"I like Angie. For you," he said, gesturing in my direction. "There's Isa, Izzy, Bella, La—hey, that's a nice one. How about Bella?"

"It suits you," Angela complimented, before I could even consider my answer.

"I guess that could work," I assured them, shrugging.

"So, we have Angie, Bella _and..._ " He frowned, looking at the two of us for the answer he'd been seeking for a while it seemed.

"We'll work on that one," Angela said, giggling at the disgruntled look on his face.

They both continued to eat in silence for a couple of minutes, sharing quick glances with each other every now and again. I could see that it was a strain for them to talk to me. I didn't think it had anything to do with who I was—I was sure it was because they were quite shy themselves. I couldn't know that though, it was just an observation. If they had a problem with me, they certainly wouldn't have voluntarily sat with me.

"I saw some of the pictures you took for the school website. They were cool," Eric said, breaking the short silence.

"I was actually forced to do that but, uh, do you think so?"

"Yeah. Are you interested in photography?"

"A little, I guess, but not as a career."

"Are you still into dancing? You always got the solos in the school shows when we were younger," said Angela. "I had to watch from the side because I was too tall and lanky to be able to control my own limbs." We all laughed. "I couldn't tear my eyes away from you, I was always _so_ jealous of how good you were."

"Trust me, I can't even walk across a flat surface without finding something to trip over so my ability to dance is a blessing. I still do it a lot, though I wish I could do it more. I'm taking Miss Watson's class this year," I rambled, not looking at either of them.

"That's awesome," Eric said, slurping his lemonade. "I wish I was good at something like that. Here I get a talent at chess."

"Chess is great," I told him, awkwardly trying to be supportive. "Talent is talent. You should be proud of that."

"I've told him that a thousand times but he never listens," Angela said, rolling her eyes at her boyfriend. "Help me out with this, Bella. The other day, Eric and I were talking about the best film series we've ever seen. What's your favourite?"

The two of them leaned forward, eagerly awaiting my answer. Being honest, I haven't really seen any the entire way through apart from Harry Potter. I didn't truly have much interest in films, or any sort of television for that matter.

" _Harry Potter_ ," I said, the words coming out like more of a question than an answer.

"Damn it," the pair of them hissed.

"I get the sense that was not the answer you were hoping for," I said sarcastically, making them both laugh lightly.

"I said _Star Wars_ ," Eric informed me, crushing his lemonade can. "She said _The Hunger Games_ ," he added, jerking his head towards Angela.

"I don't really do the whole film thing," I admitted. "But, _Harry Potter_ is the one series I managed to sit through."

"I've actually never seen it," Eric said, shrugging as if it wasn't a big deal.

"Never?" I asked, surprised.

He shook his head. "Like you, I don't watch a lot of films. The books are always better."

"Have to agree with you there," I said, nodding along with my words.

"Let's be real here, though. How can _Harry Potter_ beat _Star W_ —"

He stopped short when two students approached our table. They were slightly familiar to me from a brief passing in the hallway but that was about it. I had five potential names I could put to the faces but I didn't know which ones to choose.

"Hello," a small girl chirped. "Could we please sit with you guys? People won't leave us alone. It's getting kind of overwhelming and we could do with somewhere quiet to eat."

"Oh, it's not that it's quiet here. It's just that I'm being avoided like the plague," I blurted out, in somewhat blind panic.

She laughed, holding out a hand for me to shake. "I'm Alice Cullen. This is one of my brothers, Emmett."

Emmett grinned, saluting.

"You guys can sit," Eric said, offering the two empty seats. "I'm Eric, this is Angela, and this is Bella."

I took a deep breath, straightened my shoulders and smiled.

* * *

My last class on a Monday is dance and it's the one thing I know I can always look forward to. As far as I know, everyone has some sort of stress-reliever and this is mine. It never matters to me that I'm surrounded by people who don't like me, all that matters is that I get an opportunity to do something that I love in a safe environment.

According to the whispers around the room, we are getting partnered up for a project today. I'd aced every single one of my solo projects but the second you throw a group one my way, you might as well fail me right then and there. It's not that I don't try, it's just that no one wants to come near me. I'm not sure where everything went wrong and I couldn't tell you whose fault it is. Is it _their_ judgement? Or, is it _my_ distance?

Now, this project is already stressful because it's part of my final grade. However, the _who_ is always more worrisome for me. Normal teenagers would kill to have the chance to work with their crush, or a friend, or someone new altogether... but I was overcome with dread.

Not a second after I had that thought, guess who walked in the room?

Brad Pitt.

Oh wait, that would never happen to me because my life sucks.

After the conversation at lunch with Alice and Emmett, I had been made aware that their other halves were called Jasper and Rosalie—the adoptive two of the five. The fifth member, and who had just entered my dance class, was Edward Cullen.

My response should have been even more terror but in actual fact, I literally felt heart palpitations begin when I caught sight of him. He was tall, that was the first thing I noticed. He towered slightly above most people in the room, making him appear more powerful than the rest of us. The way he carried himself—shoulders tense, back straight, expression neutral—demanded attention from every direction. His tousled bronze hair framed his pale face, and his green eyes stuck out from the white. His chiselled jaw was clenched, making him seem extremely intimidating and I had to fight very hard to remove my eyes from his form as he scanned the room for a spare seat.

 _Please don't see me . . ._  
 _Please don't see me . . ._  
 _Please don't—_

 **A/N** The song used in this chapter is 'Heaven" by The Fire Theft


	3. Chapter 3

****Chapter Three  
**** "First Conversation" ** **  
****

 ** **(Edward's POV)****

My Biology class was dismissed early because the main switch for the gas taps refused to work, meaning we were all at risk of a very unpleasant death. We were ushered out of the room quickly, whilst the teacher opened windows in a panicked attempt at letting some air in. The janitor arrived quickly with some tools and managed to fix it in no time. Still, probably due to the stress of the situation, Mr Banner sent us all away.

It seemed like the perfect opportunity to go for a wander around the school. It wasn't exactly massive and it was laughable that the office staff handed me a map this morning when I arrived—they were worried I'd get lost. That was unlikely.

Today has been decent. It's rare that any first day at a new school goes perfectly and more often than not, it's actually quite disastrous. We could count ourselves lucky that we had strength in numbers; the fact that there were five of us meant that we were never targets. I'd heard enough already about students who have been singled out due to their shyness or their personal circumstances—enough to know that I certainly didn't want to be in the firing line.

There was almost a family feud when Rosalie insisted that she wanted to go home for lunch, but everyone else wanted to stay because it was a great opportunity to get to know some people. Jasper, being chivalrous, offered to go with her so that she wasn't sitting—or sulking—alone in the kitchen. Of course, because I was the designated driver, I had to drive them both home which meant we had done the one thing we said we wouldn't do; we'd split up. God only knows where Alice and Emmett ended up for the hour.

Upon hearing the warning bell, I decided I should probably make my way to my final class. I was usually pretty good with first impressions so I didn't want to be late on my first day. My trek was easy, since I'd been informed earlier that the performing arts department was in building six. From there, it was just finding the right room.

I knew none of my siblings were in this class so when I strode into the room, I couldn't help but feel uneasy. I wouldn't be human if I didn't get nervous occasionally but I was generally a fairly confident person. The room was bright, as it should be, and a set of chairs sat adjacent to a studio built with only dance in mind.

My eyes wandered around the room, noting that most of the back seats were full. I sighed, wishing I'd gotten here earlier so that I could have avoided being face to face with the teacher. I doubted very much that I'd be able to remain inconspicuous for the length of time I'd be in here anyway, seen as I'd been embarrassingly introduced to my peers at the front of the room in every single one of my classes today.

I pursed my lips, my eyes landing on the front row where a girl was sitting alone.

"Quack quack," someone said from a few rows behind her, earning some giggles.

Her shoulders slumped as she sunk into her chair, as if trying to make herself appear smaller. Her discomfort made it obvious that she had heard them, but the fact that her back was still to me assured me that she was trying her best to ignore them. Kids can be cruel, everyone knows that, and high school can be a rough experience for some people. It seems that this girl is one of the unlucky ones.

I shrugged, choosing my allies carefully.

Without a look in anyone else's direction, I hesitantly took a seat next to her.

Upon closer inspection, I realised how small and frail-looking this girl was. If my father were to examine her, he'd conclude that she was underweight. She was pretty, however, in an odd way. Her skin was pale, almost translucent. I could see the delicate veins in her wrists as she nervously played with the hem of her cardigan.

Her brown eyes met mine suddenly, and only then did I realise I had been staring a little too intently at her.

"I haven't heard that one for a while," she finally said, her voice soft and endearing.

I didn't understand what she meant.

"The duck reference," she added, noting my confusion. "My surname is Swan and they—well, they..."

"Assholes," I mumbled, cringing when the word slipped out. "Sorry."

She smiled half-heartedly. "My day was going well before that."

"So was mine," I agreed, chuckling. "What's your name?"

"Isabella," she said quietly. "Just Bella is fine, though. You're Edward?"

"Correct."

"The only reason I know that is because I met Alice and Emmett at lunch today. Unlike some people, no offence, I wasn't fantasising about your arrival."

So _that's_ what my brother and sister got up to.

"You certainly are a breath of fresh air," I told her, and she laughed quietly.

That was how our conversation ended because the teacher entered, taking her place right before us where I knew she would. Her eyes landed on us first and then they moved to the back of the room where pretty much everyone else was sitting. It was impossible not to notice the divide. Perhaps this was always the case here and the only difference today was that one of the new kids had willingly joined the other side. I had never noticed this sort of thing in my old school in Alaska, I don't remember anyone being singled out. I suppose in a small community it can go only two possible ways.

"Good afternoon, everyone!" she shouted, clapping her hands enthusiastically. For a split second, she reminded me a little bit of Alice. "For the benefit of our dashing new student, my name is Miss Watson. Edward, why don't you tell us something about yourself?"

I was definitely not prepared for that.

"Uh... I think... ducks are nice."

The silence that followed my words assured me that the other students were judging me. I glanced at Bella, who was trying to hide her smile behind her hand, to make sure that she'd gotten the reference. Miss Watson just looked totally confused.

"I agree," our teacher said, clearing her throat. "Now! I _did_ mention that a paired project was on the horizon. Before anyone asks, I'll be choosing your partners at random. A new addition to the terms and conditions of this project is that we will be creating a school show out of your routines. I'm thinking of focusing on all time classics this year, we'll see what happens."

"So, like, old stuff?" a girl with a nasally voice questioned loudly.

"Classics," Miss Watson repeated, tutting. "Alright! The pairs are as follows..."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**  
"Waterfall on Ember"

 ** **(Bella's POV)****

Time was passing exceptionally slowly, something I had grown used to over the last thirteen years without my mother around. Sitting alone at night waiting is monotonous, especially when the outcome is always the same. However, my school day usually passes pretty quickly, primarily because I want it to last forever so that I don't have to face my father when I get home. My classmates were the lesser of two evils. Sitting here, next to Edward, had slowed everything down.

"Uh, are you okay?"

I jumped slightly, moving to the left to distance myself from him. It was automatic, a response to his unexpected closeness. I felt like an idiot the immediate second after. There are a lot of moments I wish I could delete from my existence, and that was one of them.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he said, a deep frown between his perfectly arched eyebrows. "I've apologised to you twice in the fifteen minutes that I've known you. I feel like that's not a great start on my behalf."

I gave him as reassuring a smile as I could muster, my hand reaching up on its own accord to massage my chest. My constant angst has plenty of psychological effects and chest-tightening is one of the regular ones. Palpitations were common, too, along with trembling. It's the sort of thing I'm good at hiding, even though it's pretty scary in the moment.

"I was on another planet for a minute there," I joked, trying to diffuse the sudden awkwardness between us. He'd been kind, kinder than most, and I didn't want to ruin this pleasant memory of high school. "I'm a little jumpy."

"You weren't on another planet, I'm pretty sure you were in another solar system."

"Possibly," I allowed, nodding to myself. "Any ideas what routine she'll assign us?"

Miss Watson was currently chatting to a pair who had moved to sit behind us, which meant we were most likely next. I wasn't sure what to think of her plan, loathing the fact that I would have to get up and perform in front of an audience—something I hadn't done for quite a while. Spending the year working with an incredibly handsome partner was bound to end in my own humiliation. In addition to that, there was the problem that came with being injured on a regular basis. The bruises made it difficult to have contact with anyone or anything without some sort of pain.

"I have no clue," he said, shaking his head slowly. "I like classical stuff in terms of books and music but _in dance..._ It's never really been my thing."

"Do you have a favourite book?" I asked hesitantly, unsure if I should be asking him a personal question like that. I wasn't good at this small-talk thing and I truly didn't really know how far was too far.

"I do," he said, grinning. He leaned closer, slowly this time, as if he was wary of my unnatural nervousness. "I'm a sucker for Romeo and Juliet," he whispered.

I couldn't help but release a small laugh.

"Definitely not one of my fav—"

"Alright, you two!" Miss Watson said loudly, invading the space between us as she leaned forward from the row behind. Edward and I shot away from each other, neither of us expecting her sudden appearance.

"You scared the hell out of me," Edward said, releasing a breath of air.

She laughed in response, smacking her hands together excitedly. I aspired to have her enthusiasm in whatever career path I end up following. It was difficult not to feel empowered in her presence and I appreciated having her as part of my day more than she would ever know.

"All I've been doing is listing off a bunch of my favourite routines to each pair but I've been running out of... _child-friendly_... ideas." She coughed awkwardly. Edward and I shared an amused glance. "I may have to get back to you guys on this one. Just leave it with me."

Mrs Cope from the office came to the door then, asking for a quick word with Miss Watson about a problem. The students at the back were intrigued by the unusual request, but they didn't get a chance to listen in. The two women left the room, closing the door behind them.

"How has your day been?" I asked, trying to keep the conversation flowing. I was proud I'd made it this far, I must admit.

"Not bad," he replied after a moment of thought. "Slightly intrusive, if I'm honest, but nothing too brutal."

"The real question is: Do you think you'll survive the next two years in this place?"

"Doubtful," he said without hesitation, throwing me a surprisingly attractive smirk. "You?"

"Not a chance."

We naturally stopped talking then, and it wasn't the slightest bit uncomfortable. I suddenly didn't feel like I _had_ to think of something to say; there was nothing wrong with just sitting next to him in silence. He pulled out his phone and I averted my eyes because I didn't want him to think I was trying to see what he was doing. He probably wouldn't think that but my paranoia made me certain that he would.

I had slumped in my seat, and was now sitting in a very masculine position on the solid chair. If I'd had any hope that I could feign some sort of normality, it was utterly destroyed. How could anyone find anything about me normal? Then I wondered, does it actually matter? It would make no difference to my life what Edward, or anyone else in the world, thought about me. My life would still be the same endless cycle of disaster, all because of my father.

I sighed.

 _One more year, then you'll be eighteen and you can walk away. If you make it 'til then.  
_  
At that thought, I straightened my spine to make myself seem more alert. An area on my skin, one that hadn't caused me any bother until now, ached in protest when it made contact with the rock-hard chair. Another bruise, somewhere around the back of my ribcage. I shifted, the discomfort making me slide back down into my seat again.

"Hey, um, I was just thinking," Edward said, his voice not startling me this time. "We should really exchange numbers for this project thing."

"Oh, yeah," I said, truthfully not wanting him to have my number. I have absolutely no contacts on my phone, the only reason I bought a secondhand one was for emergencies. I guess you never know when you might need to call 9-1-1, especially when you're me.

I pulled the phone out of my coat pocket, completely embarrassed by the fact it looked as if it was the first phone invented. A simple flip phone, with a small screen and a keypad that didn't even light up. I couldn't exactly afford a more expensive one and I was lucky to have any money at all to be perfectly honest. Being Chief Swan's only daughter, the townsfolk were generous on my birthday and at Christmas. It was a reminder for my father, I suppose, when they would hand him the money. Not that he would get me anything anyway. I think perhaps _once_ he got me a dress that I would never wear in my life, only because Sue Clearwater had bumped into him whilst he was doing an on-duty patrol and insisted that she help him pick something nice for me. He all but launched it at me when he got home. Even sober, we didn't have any sort of relationship now. There's just... nothing. Alcohol does things to you, especially when consumed vigorously over time, and I would never take a sip of it for as long as I live.

I handed my phone silently to Edward just as he handed me his. I was praying that he'd already opened his contacts because I would have no idea how to do it myself. The device he was holding looked more complicated than algebra. Thankfully, he had already done so and I inserted my name and number with surprising ease. It took him longer, however, because he sat staring at my phone screen for a good minute. I realised quickly that he'd probably opened the app to see the profoundly written '0 contacts' at the top. Just great.

He entered his number anyway, probably wondering if I was a member of the mafia or something. There would be very few explanations for a phone with no contacts. Again, my hope for normality in the presence of someone like Edward was crushed.

He smiled anyway and we switched phones again, just as Miss Watson re-entered.

"Sorry about that, folks. I was just about to tell you all what your first task will be. Seen as I haven't yet given all of you a routine, I can't ask you to start preparation. So, this is what I want you to do..."

She went on to explain that each pair would simply have to get to know each other within the next week. By one week on Friday, we have to have a video prepared that documents the way we choose to get to know one another. She suggested something like sitting down and firing questions at each other. Though talented, the kids in this class were far from creative so I knew most of them would probably just go with that method.

I didn't want to do it that way. It seemed robotic; more like an interrogation than actually getting to know someone. Although, I don't know why I was worrying about that particular aspect when the thing I should be concerned about is that I'm going to have to try to answer questions I don't want anyone to know the answers to. This task was unavoidable and so I would answer Edward with as much honesty as I could; leaving out the parts that would suggest there was any kind of issue.

"Miss? Not that I have a problem with getting to know Shannon, but I was just wondering why this task is part of the project?" a senior student I'd never spoken to asked from the back of the room.

"Valid question," Miss Watson said, grinning. "Chemistry is the most important thing between dance partners. The nicer the _real_ relationship, the nicer the performance. Got it?"

Everyone, aside from myself, murmured in agreement.

"Just chat amongst yourselves," she said, waving her hand dismissively as she quickly became preoccupied with a stack of papers on her desk.

Edward and I stayed silent, neither of us willing to start up a conversation again. He was probably sitting there dreading the possibility of someone getting involved in his private life. He'd been working to try to keep people out of his business all day it seemed, and now the teacher had just given someone the perfect opportunity to ruin that. I wouldn't even attempt to discover his secrets—they weren't mine to know.

I was surprised by the lack of protest from other students regarding their partners. Usually there was a shameless five minutes in which people would ask to switch. Of course, I was always the first one they wanted to get away from. This afternoon was different and an ember in me couldn't help but wonder if things were changing slightly.

"I wonder how Edward will communicate with it," that irritating nasally voice said not-so-subtly from behind us. "How are you meant to document answers when they're all the same... _Quack?_ "

Her words were a waterfall on the ember inside me.

There was definitely no chance of change in this hellhole.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**  
"2am Texts"

 ** **(Edward's POV)****

"I feel like I don't tell you this enough, mom," Emmett said, his cutlery clattering onto his empty plate. "But thank you for existing."

She laughed, shaking her head at him. "Is that your heart talking? Or, is it your insatiable stomach?"

"A combination of both," he said, grinning ear to ear.

I was too full to finish my meal, as I was every Sunday. This was a family tradition of sorts, a way for us to spend some time with each other at the end of the week. We used to have _family night_ instead but everyone got too busy for that around the time my siblings and I started high school. These days, my mom cooks a mouth-watering Sunday roast, then we all sit down at the dining table to have a chat. It does occasionally end in an argument but more often than not, it was actually a pretty good idea.

"You've outdone yourself as usual, dear," my dad said, trying to scrub a fresh stain off of his white shirt.

"Well, you're all worth it," she said, leaning back in her seat. "Looking forward to another week of school? They say the first week is always the worst so it can only get better from here."

"Some of the kids are just..." Alice shook her head. "Horrible."

"You noticed that?" I asked her, taking a sip of water.

"Definitely," she assured me. "I don't remember it being like this in Alaska."

"I was thinking that as well when I heard some of the things being said in my dance class. I can't understand why people think that's okay."

My mom frowned, glancing warily at my dad. "What sort of things, Edward? Was someone making fun of you?"

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "No, mom, it wasn't directed at me. If it had been, you know as well as I do that I'd have probably punched someone in the face. It was hard enough to sit there and listen to it."

"Did it have something to do with a duck, by any chance?" Jasper asked, clicking his tongue as though he'd just remembered something. He was pulling at a lock of hair, indicating that he'd been lost in thought for a few moments.

"It did," I confirmed, giving him a look that said _explain_.

"I heard some kids talking when I was in English," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "Alice, your dance class was on at the same time as Edward's, right?"

"Right."

"Well, a dude in _my_ class said he heard a kid from _your_ class saying that they could hear a duck quacking all the way across the hall from _Miss Watson's_ class... I assume that's the one _Edward_ was in at the time."

Emmett snorted. "What?"

"I was confused at first," he said, chuckling. "I genuinely thought there was a literal duck in the building for a few seconds. But, then the same guy said something about a girl being _a total train wreck_ and I understood then that it was a reference to a person."

"That's awful," my dad said, looking between us in surprise.

"I can top that," I said dryly, my hands automatically clenching into tight fists. "Try sitting next to the girl they're talking about whilst they make snide comments from pretty much right behind her."

"Was the girl upset?" my mom asked, worried for Bella though she was a complete stranger to her. "Was she crying? Did the teacher not do anything?"

"Well, the teacher wasn't actually in the room to hear anything initially. Then, by the time another comment was made, class was just about over and everyone was talking. I doubt Miss Watson was interested in listening to trivial teenage drama, so I don't think she heard what was said."

"And the girl?" my mom repeated, eyes sad.

"Bella? Oh, she ignored them," I said, recalling the way she didn't even turn to look at the group of idiots behind her. "I felt so bad for her, though. She mentioned it to me when I sat down next to her. She said something about not hearing the duck reference for a while. I guess our peers woke up with a vengeance last Monday."

"Where do people even come up with that stuff?" my dad asked, throwing his napkin onto the table in frustration.

"Her surname is Swan," I stated simply, and they all understood instantly.

"Assholes," Emmett mumbled.

"That's exactly what I said," I told him, smiling half-heartedly. "Anyway, speaking of Bella, I'm actually partnered with her for a project so do you mind if I ask her to come over at some point this week? The first task is due Friday so it would need to be before then."

"Of course! Oh, of course she can come over," my mom replied, a little too enthusiastic about the idea. "Ask her if she would like to come tomorrow after school. I'll get some snacks at the store in the morning."

"I'll text her in a bit," I assured her, gulping down the rest of my water.

"You have her number already?" Rosalie piped up for the first time in a while, oddly amused by what I'd just said.

"Uh, yeah," I said, not understanding why that was funny.

"Forward," she said, raising her eyebrows in sync with Alice.

"No, girls," my mom said, saving me from who knows what. "Edward is just sensible. They'll have to be in touch for the project. Besides, I doubt very much that a girl who gets given this much grief in school will have Facebook."

I hadn't even thought of that.

Of course she wouldn't have Facebook, or Instagram, or Twitter, or Snapchat, or anything else that the majority of teens are signed up to. Hell, if she did, it would probably just make her more of a target. Perhaps not having any of those sites would be her way of avoiding further torment, or maybe it was that she just didn't have any desire to have social media accounts. Her ancient phone would make sense if that were the case, but I knew that assuming things would only lead to a bad outcome. I would keep an open mind, as usual.

"Let me know," my mom said, ruffling my hair as she stood. "Dessert, anyone?"

We all nodded.

The strawberry cheesecake my mom would bring to the table would be a masterpiece but my erratic thoughts still lingered on Bella. I wonder what she's doing right now.

* * *

"Just one game, Edward. C'mon!" Emmett begged quietly, an Xbox controller in each hand as he followed me up to my room.

"It's nearly 2am, Emmett! How do you even function on like four hours of sleep every single night? I swear you're nocturnal," I hissed, climbing the stairs more hastily than before.

"Your point is?"

"All I wanted was a drink, that's it. But, being the dickhead that you are, you thought you'd follow me down the damn stairs. Not only do I have water all over me because you nearly gave me a heart attack, I'm now losing even more sleep because you won't leave me alone."

"It won't kill you, buddy," he whispered, pouting.

"No, it won't, but I'm about to kill _you_ ," I promised, closing my bedroom door in his face.

I fell back against the wall, wishing the last fifteen minutes of my life hadn't happened. I whipped off my t-shirt, not bothering to put it in the laundry basket. I just chucked it on the floor and threw myself into bed—now clad in only boxer shorts.

I was ready to fall straight back into a pleasantly deep sleep, but the _ping_ of my phone on the bedside table startled me fully awake once again. I very nearly threw it across the room, already knowing it was going to be a text from Emmett. I knew better than to ignore it because he would only keep sending me more until I was driven insane. So, I grabbed my phone with the intent to block his number until the morning.

What I didn't expect to see when I looked at the screen was Bella's name.

I sat up immediately, wondering why I was only just getting a reply at two in the morning. It wasn't that I'd been waiting for her to answer me, I just found it unusual that she hadn't seen my message until she was meant to be asleep. Did she really not use that phone at all?

 _I forgot that you're actually meant to check your cell now and again. I'm 99% convinced you noticed that no one really uses my number so old habits die hard, I guess. I can do tomorrow if you're sure that's okay. B_

 _You're awake? It's definitely okay. I'll see you in class tomorrow anyway but you can just follow me home from school or whatever. E_

 _I'm awake. I'm more surprised that you are, sorry if I woke you. B_

 _I was up already, don't worry. E_

 _Oh, that's alright then..._ _I should probably try to sleep for a couple of hours. Goodnight. B_

 _Yeah, you should. Goodnight, Bella. E_


	6. Chapter 6

****Chapter Six  
**** "You and Me"

 ** **(Edward's POV)****

I think it's fair to say that nobody wakes up particularly happy on a Monday morning. I glanced in my rear-view mirror, noting the glum expressions my sisters and Jasper wore. I probably looked the same. Emmett, after a ferocious battle, had won his place in the passenger seat next to me so was looking really quite proud of himself.

I was curious about what this new week would hold. Last week had been full of the expected _and_ the unexpected, leaving my siblings partially dreading the next two years. I, on the other hand, was fighting hard enough just to get through this morning after a very sleepless night.

"Well," Rosalie said, shrugging her shoulders. "Like mom said, it can only get better."

"That's what she has to say," Emmett explained. "Of course she doesn't _actually_ think that. Mom knows just as well as we do that the next two years are going to be a disaster."

"I'll bet each and every one of you $10 that Edward will punch someone before the Christmas holidays," Jasper offered, pursing his lips thoughtfully.

"So much positive energy floating around in here," Alice mumbled, sarcasm dripping from her tone.

"Why would you even suggest that?" I asked, one hand leaving the steering wheel to move my untameable hair out of my eyes.

"You said it yourself last night. Anyway, take it as a compliment, bro," Emmett said. "While the rest of us just sit around and let high school injustices happen, your bad temper prevents you from doing the same. It's a gift."

"I've never punched anyone in my life and though I feel like it now and again, I would never actually do it."

"Never say never," he replied, giving me a wary look.

"Nah," Rosalie said, scrunching up her nose. "I don't think he has it in him."

I rolled my eyes, pulling into a parking space that may have been the furthest possible one from the school entrance.

"I don't think he does either," Alice agreed, unbuckling her seatbelt.

"Fine, let's see. Jasper and me VS Alice and Rosalie. 10$ says he'll have punched someone before Santa reaches Forks."

"You're on," the girls said, leaping out of the car gracefully.

Emmett and Jasper followed them instantly, warning them that they'd just lost themselves $10. However, I was momentarily left feeling as though I was being used once again for their entertainment. Being the odd one out, it was something I was more than used to.

"Fucking hell," I muttered under my breath, following them into a building full of the unpredictable.

* * *

Texting Bella last night was the first time I'd spoken to her directly since we'd met the previous Monday. Though we were both in class together throughout the week, absolutely no conversation had taken place. I'd thought it was going to be necessary when working together but Miss Watson decided to run a couple of dance tutorials with a guest during class, telling us all that we'd have to complete the project in our own time.

Pulling up the driveway in the pouring rain, her decrepit red truck following us close behind, made me slightly uneasy. I didn't know how tonight was going to go but I did know that I was curious. I wanted to know about the bullying; about why she looked more fragile than our classmates; and I wanted to know how she was feeling about it all. I knew how to be a gentleman, I wouldn't step over any boundaries. I was usually pretty good at reading people and if she was uncomfortable, I would probably notice straight away.

She was out of her truck before I could even take the keys out of the ignition. This left me fumbling with my seatbelt so that I could meet her outside before she had to stand in the rain. I climbed out, the others following, and gestured for Bella to follow us inside. It was too torrential to stand around and make small talk, so we all sprinted for the stairs that would lead us home. I ended up at the back of the race, realising that I should probably lock my car. I turned around for a split second to make sure the lights flashed—indicating it was locked—and I joined the race again just in time to see Bella completely miss one of the stairs, sending her face first toward the concrete ground. If it wasn't for the fact that both myself and Jasper grabbed her, tonight could have began with a trip to the hospital.

We steadied her quickly before ascending the rest of the stairs, everyone sighing in relief when I shut the front door behind us.

"That was mildly stressful," Jasper said quietly, shaking the rain from his coat onto the tiled floor.

Everyone apart from Bella followed his actions, and only then did I realise that she wasn't even wearing a coat. She instead wore a thick sweater that made her look smaller than she did the first time I saw her.

"Don't you have a coat?" I blurted out before I could stop myself.

For some reason, she looked like a deer caught in headlights. "Um... n-not today."

Alice and I made eye contact, both of us trying to understand her odd reaction to my ordinary question. Note to self: don't ask her any more questions about her clothes. I don't see any reason why her attire would ever come up in another conversation but it was better to remind myself to be wary nonetheless.

"Anyway," I breathed, pointing at my siblings. "You've already met Alice and Emmett. This is Rosalie and Jasper."

The two of them silently waved at her.

"Hi," Bella said, so quietly that it was almost a whisper. "Thank you for catching me outside," she added, looking to me and then Jasper.

We nodded simultaneously.

She nodded back at us.

The entire moment was completely awkward.

"We'll go and say hi to mom," Rosalie said, noticing Bella's nervousness.

They left then, and Bella became visibly less tense. Her shoulders fell into a neutral position, she stopped wringing her hands, and finally looked around her a little. Perhaps her strange behaviour had something to do with shyness. After all, she _had_ just been standing with five people who were still more or less strangers to her.

I watched as her eyes scanned the long hallway, taking it all in.

"It's very bright," she commented, an odd thing to notice first.

"My mom designed the whole place before we moved here. She wanted it to feel open, you know? Especially since we're kind of living in the forest."

She smiled, finally looking up at me. "I like it."

"Wait until you see my room," I said, throwing her a grin. "C'mon, I'll take you to meet my mom before she hunts us down. Then I can show you the rest of the house."

"Sounds like a plan," she replied, trying her best to plaster a smile on her face.

"There's no need to be nervous," I tried to reassure her, figuring she needed it. "My brothers and sisters are difficult to get used to but I'm 101% sure you'll like my mom."

She pursed her lips, stopping at the end of the hallway for a moment. "I think you'd need to be 102% sure to convince me."

I laughed purely because I wasn't expecting her to say that. "Well, she _is_ making us snacks so I think I could up my sureness to 102%."

"That will do," she said, walking ahead of me though she had no idea where she was going.

I didn't say much as we moved, letting her absorb her surroundings. The house was grand, there was no denying that, and it looked like something out of a magazine. My parents certainly don't do things by half. However, they've worked hard through the years for their money and I couldn't think of two greater people who deserve the happiness they've found in this bizarre town.

Somehow, Bella ended up leading us to the exact location of my mother.

They both shit themselves when they rounded the corner at the same time and almost ploughed straight into each other.

"Oh my goodness," my mom breathed, holding onto one of Bella's wrists. "I'm so sorry, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, thank you. That was my fault," Bella replied, pulling her hair over one of her shoulders. "I nearly fell outside as well."

"Jasper and I saved her on the stairs."

My mom rolled her eyes, still holding onto her. "I'm Esme. It's so lovely to meet you, Bella."

"It's lovely to meet you too," she said, a genuine smile lighting up her whole face.

It was incredible to see, the way her entire face changed just because she had looked happy for a few seconds. Her eyebrows lifted slightly and a defined dimple appeared on her left cheek, suddenly making her seem more child-like than she looked before. I had already noticed her untypical beauty but it was mystifying how a smile could enhance it.

"Well, I'm sure you two have lots of work to do so I'll leave you to it," my mom said, giving me a knowing look. "There's some snacks on the counter in the kitchen. Enjoy!"

And she was gone.

"You were right," Bella mumbled, looking down at her hands. "I like her already."

I chuckled, gesturing for her to enter the kitchen. "After you..."

* * *

Alice, Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper joined us to eat. When my mom said _snacks_ , I think what she actually meant was _a buffet that would put Gordon Ramsay to shame._ I very nearly apologised to Bella for the unexpected display but she only smiled, taking a seat at the counter without a word.

"Bella, do you live far from the school?" Alice asked, polishing off a ham sandwich.

"No. It's about two minutes by car," she replied, shifting uncomfortably.

I was beginning to pick up, through sitting next to her in class and seeing her in here, that she honestly couldn't sit still. She was antsy, always fidgeting with something or changing position in her seat. The fact that she was so unsettled all the time, as if she were waiting for something to happen, made me kind of anxious.

I had also become aware that I was watching every single thing she was doing. Sure, I was meant to be getting to know her anyway, but she wasn't acting like a normal person. I didn't want to make assumptions about why she was constantly on-edge but I couldn't help but take mental notes in an attempt to build some sort of personality. She seemed kind and polite, but her angst didn't correspond with that. Hopefully, after asking each other some questions, things would start to make a little more sense.

"What about siblings? Do you have any?" Emmett asked excitedly, after downing a full glass of lemonade.

"Um, excuse me," I interrupted swiftly, before she felt the need to answer. "Isn't that my line?"

"Dude, were you even listening to us in the car on the way home?"

"Bella and I haven't even decided how we're going to do the task yet," I said, glancing at her briefly to see that she was looking at something across the room. I followed her line of sight to see that it ended at a camera set up by the microwave. "Really?" I deadpanned.

"We figured we could all get to know you," Rosalie said, surprisingly cheery.

"You can ask us questions too. We'll answer anything you want to know, there's no secrets in this house," Alice added, practically bouncing in her seat. "How about we keep it simple to start? Maybe we could—"

"Edward, can you please show me where the closest bathroom is?" Bella suddenly asked, grabbing onto my arm.

The alarm I saw in her eyes is what made me get up instantly. She followed me out of the kitchen and along a hallway to the bathroom next to the stairway. I opened the door, flicking on the light for her, and turned to leave her there. I'd taken only two steps before she called my name softly.

"It's too much," she whispered, looking straight into my eyes. "I'll explain why, I promise I will, but I... I can't do... I don't know how—"

"Hey, it's okay," I assured her. "They'll understand. We can talk in my room, alright? Just you and me."

She nodded and I knew she needed a few minutes alone, so I jogged back through to the kitchen to explain to the others. They wouldn't be offended. In fact, I'd be surprised if they hadn't already figured out what went wrong.

When I reached them, I nearly turned around and walked back out again.

I had just entered a Cullen warzone.

"No, it's because of Emmett. He doesn't know how not to be an idiot," Jasper said, a reply to something I hadn't heard.

"Fuck right off!" Emmett shouted, slamming his hands down on the counter. "At least I was trying to talk to her. You just sat there like a—"

"Let's face it," Rosalie interrupted, looking closely at one of her nails. "It was Alice's fault."

Alice gasped. "Rose, I swear I'm going to slit your thr—"

"Shut up, all of you!" I shouted in exasperation. "It's no one's fucking fault, okay? It's too overwhelming for her having you all sitting there watching her and asking questions. She's probably not used to one friend never mind five at once so... _Give it a rest_."

They just stared at me, totally blank-faced.

"We're going to win the bet," Emmett mumbled to Jasper.

"I'm adding my own condition to the bet, since it's about me," I snapped, running a hand through my hair. "It doesn't count if I punch one of you."


	7. Chapter 7

****Chapter Seven  
**** "Strange Girl"

 ** **(Edward's POV)****

I sighed, not looking at any of my siblings, as I trekked over to put the video camera off. The whole thing truly didn't seem that big of a deal, but it was a big deal to Bella and seen as she was my guest, it automatically became a big deal to me as well.

"That was a little bit awkward," Jasper mumbled, clearing his throat.

"Take how you felt, multiply it by one hundred, and you're probably only halfway towards how awkward Bella felt," I said, more defensively than I meant to.

"She seems nice, Edward, but she's a bit odd."

"Can you blame her?" I asked. The question was rhetorical; of course none of us could blame her after what we'd heard in school. "Anyway, we don't know why she is the way she is, but I'm trying to paint a clearer picture here so it would help if you guys made yourselves scarce."

"Maybe he's right," Alice said, her voice a little solemn. "Even though she spoke to Em and I at lunch, it really was just small-talk. It's probably best to let her get more comfortable with Edward first in the get-to-know department."

"I'm down with that," Emmett agreed, shrugging. "You guys want to go to the diner?"

And just like that, the four of them had made their own plans for the evening—plans that didn't involve Bella and myself. They'd just inhaled 75% of the feast my mom had left for us to eat, yet they were about to go and have dinner elsewhere. There was no way any of them, including Emmett, would manage a full meal. I decided that they would probably just grab a milkshake, maybe turn it into a double date, and try to waste as much time as possible. All four of them were easy-going and I loved them for that.

I sat down at the counter by myself, chewing absentmindedly on a breadstick. I wasn't really even that hungry but it seemed that eating was all that was left to do for the moment. I did that a lot, I realised, and I suddenly couldn't understand why I wasn't morbidly obese. It wasn't as if I expended a great effort to keep in shape—aside from the occasional run with Jasper. Emmett was always more of a gym kind of guy, but he'd complained that the one in Forks was limited so I was sure it wouldn't be long before he started joining us. It was never a race when Jasper and I were out, it was all about pacing ourselves, but I knew Emmett would turn it into one.

I laughed quietly, shaking my head at the truth in my thoughts.

A small throat clear from behind made me aware that I was not alone in the room. Startled, my half-eaten breadstick slipped from between my fingers and fell to its untimely death on the tiled kitchen floor. It crumbled to pieces and I thought, _What a way to go_.

I turned to find Bella standing in the doorway, smiling a little smile at me.

"Sorry," she said, sounding amused, as she glanced down at the resting place of my poor breadstick.

"That's okay," I assured her, offering a smile in return. "All good?"

"A little bit good," she replied quietly.

"Well, that's better than no good."

"It is," she agreed, seeming thoughtful about this concept.

"Ready for a tour?"

She clocked onto the video camera sitting beside me, and she pursed her lips. "I'm ready," she said, looking back to me. "You can start filming now."

* * *

I had thought Bella would like my room but I was now convinced she'd fallen madly, deeply in love with it the second she walked in. I'd had the camera on her face for much of the tour but I was thankful that I could have it there now. I was mildly amused by the shock I saw there when she realised that most of my walls were pretty much just windows, overlooking the enchanting forest surrounding our house. However, the intellectual sparkle in her brown eyes when she cast them over the display of books and CDs was intriguing.

"Do you like it?" I asked softly.

"It's beautiful," was her reply, and she ran her fingers cautiously along one row of the bookshelf, pausing when she reached one in particular. "Mr Darcy?" she questioned, eyebrows raised at the peculiar presence of _Pride and Prejudice_ in my collection.

I grinned. "It's a classic in every sense of the word. Have you read it?"

"Only a thousand times," she said, continuing her analysis of my taste in literature. "I've only watched the film twice, however."

"Ah, but have you seen the _new_ movie? The zombie version?"

"No way in hell did they make a zombie remake of _Pride and Prejudice_ ," she said, eyes returning to mine in surprise.

"It's brilliant," I told her, a grin still fixed on my face. "We can watch it some time, I've got it on DVD."

She didn't reply to that, and I wondered silently if I'd overstepped a boundary I promised myself I wouldn't. It seemed natural to think about spending more time with her, almost as if we'd been friends for years. She didn't look upset by my words or anything. In fact, her relaxed expression hadn't even changed—almost as if she hadn't actually heard me. I very nearly repeated myself just to make sure.

Finally, she said, "When is some time?"

"Whenever you want it to be."

"Okay," she replied, throwing me a smile over her shoulder when she stopped at my CD player. "What are you listening to?"

She pressed play, and the familiar sound of _Clair de Lune_ floated around us. I wasn't even embarrassed by this revelation, as some guys would be, because the music was so calming to me that it was impossible to feel humiliated.

Her smile widened as she closed her eyes for a few moments, simply listening to the sound like I was. It seemed like she knew the piece, and this pleased me. She was most certainly a fan of the classics, and though we were only just becoming acquainted, it was a pleasant surprise to find that we might actually have some things in common.

"I loved this song when I was a little girl," she mused, turning to face me. "I took ballet lessons when I was very young and my teacher would _always_ play this... I've not heard Debussy in so long."

I moved to sit on the white sofa that sat opposite my bed. It faced the window, and the thriving forest, creating the perfect place to have any sort of conversation. She hesitantly followed, sitting as far away from me as the space would allow.

"How long did you take lessons for?"

"A year or so," she said, looking outside at the rain still pouring down on our strange little town. "We left Phoenix when I was four and I never restarted the lessons here in Forks. I taught myself most of what I know." She shrugged, as if this wasn't at all impressive.

"Are you decent enough to get us a pass?" I asked her, hoping she would hear the humour in my tone.

She laughed gently. "I hope so."

We were quiet for a long minute or two, comfortably watching the outside from inside. It was rather peaceful just sitting here, and very refreshing to have someone new around. Before, when I'd said she was a breath of fresh air, I truly meant it. Although I feared there was an awfully sad reason for her abnormality, I still couldn't help but enjoy her company.

"Is Forks very different from Alaska?"

"In terms of people, yeah. Most of them were pretty friendly back in Alaska. Here, I've met more horrible humans than nice ones."

"You get used to that after a while," she promised. "The kids at school like you, anyway, so you've got nothing to worry about."

She sighed, pulling her knees up so that she could rest her chin on them. I felt like I had to make her feel better, because even though she was cracking smiles now and again, her lovely eyes told me that she was undeniably sad about something.

"I think they only like me for my good looks," I blurted out, trying to lighten the mood.

"That could be a contributing factor," she agreed, her cheeks turning crimson-red. Her own words had embarrassed her—I couldn't understand why—and she made sure to look away from me again. I was flattered, nonetheless.

"Sometimes, I think the attention comes from being a pretty weird family," I admitted, releasing a sigh of my own. "Having two adopted siblings who are in relationships with two of my actual siblings would be a talking point in any town."

"Perhaps," she allowed. "I think it's very sweet."

"As do I."

"It must be nice to have so many siblings," she whispered, looking up at me through her thick lashes. "That way, you always have a friend."

"It's tough sometimes. You should hear some of the arguments we get into. You're definitely right, however, about the friend thing. I know I can always turn to them." I paused, unable to remove my eyes from hers. "What about your family? It seems the whole town knows about mine, yet I've heard nothing about yours."

"There's not much to tell," she said, almost inaudibly. "I, uh, I live with my father. It's just the two of us."

"Your mother?"

"She was on the Boston plane in 2001."

That's all she had to say for me to realise exactly what had happened.

When I looked into her eyes, I swear I physically felt a mere fraction of the pain this had caused her when she wasn't even old enough to really understand what was happening. It had cracked her young heart, I could see that, and everything unknown to me since then had been the hammer used to shatter it once and for all.

"I wish she hadn't been," I whispered, habitually looking up to the sky as if her late mother was watching over this conversation right now.

Maybe she is.

She seemed to get that I was trying to express sorrow without actually saying sorry. That word only works when you've made a mistake; when you're trying to earn forgiveness. But, let's face it, what good would it do in consoling a girl who had lost a part of herself so early in this life?

"Me too," she said softly, her head cocking to the side when the last note of _Clair de Lune_ echoed through the room.


	8. Chapter 8

****Chapter Eight  
**** "Panic"

 ** **(Bella's POV)****

We sat there in silence for what felt like hours, our eyes wandering the pretty forest and occasionally one another. It was strange talking to Edward. I appreciated the unexpected sense of relief that came with having someone to tell things to, even just for a short while. I suppose it was pleasant to know things about him as well. It would give me something to think about through restless nights. But there was still a significantly large part of me that was afraid of telling him anything at all. I didn't like people knowing things about me; knowing things about my life. It was something I hadn't been comfortable with for a very long time.

"Who's your best friend?" he asked suddenly, pulling me from my thoughts.

Great, now I'm about to look totally pathetic.

"Um, I don't really have one," I admitted, doing anything but look at him.

"My brother and sister were telling me they sat with you and a couple of others at lunch last Monday. Who were they?"

"Angela and Eric," I said, pulling my knees tighter into my chest. "That was the first and only time they sat with me."

"Probably Alice and Emmett's fault," he joked, chuckling.

I smiled, just to humour him. "I think they got a bit of stick for being around me, although they should have known it was coming. They obviously decided they were better off with their friends, despite their annoying obsession with you guys."

"Wow," he muttered, shaking his head.

"They _were_ nice," I whispered, resting my head on my knees. " _Always better to hunt than be hunted_."

"Good old Jennifer Niven," he replied, a grin stretching across his face.

I couldn't help but laugh at that. "You've read her books?"

"Courtesy of my emotionally distressed sisters."

"She's one of my favourite authors."

"She _is_ rather good," he said, agreeing wholeheartedly. "They're making a film version of—"

Three gentle taps on the door cut him off, and he sighed as if he didn't want any intrusion. I admittedly didn't want anyone to come in here either, I just wanted to listen to him talk some more. I felt utterly content sitting here with Edward and I couldn't understand why I felt as though I'd known him for years. I had went from having a near meltdown earlier to feeling better than I'd felt in really quite a long time.

"Come in," he said, his voice effortlessly soft.

His mom entered the room slowly, her presence making me feel all warm inside. Other than my own, who I don't remember too clearly, she was exactly the way I'd picture a mother. I don't know how to explain it but sometimes you just see someone and think, _you definitely look like a mom_. Esme had lovely hair, it flowed in waves down to her ribcage, and the caramel tones made it easy to see where Edward had gotten his unique hair colour from. She was small, probably around my height, and she wore clothes that looked as though they cost more than my phone. Mind you, that really wouldn't be hard considering the bloody fossil of a thing I had in my bag.

"Hi honeys," she said quietly, oblivious to the fact the camera was sitting in the corner recording everything. She smiled so wide I thought her face might split in half. "I thought I'd come and see how you're getting on."

I tried to smile in return and quickly I decided to leave Edward to respond. Partially because I wanted to hear him talk and partially because I wasn't really sure how we were getting on. On a personal level, I think I'd done pretty well. I'd managed to be honest with him, like I'd promised myself, and I'd also been able to avoid spilling any deep and dark secrets which would subsequently ruin my life even more.

"You could say we're already friends," he told her, grinning yet again.

His sweet words made my stomach all fuzzy. I didn't know what it was like to have a friend but if it always feels like this, I never wanted to go back to the loner I was last week. What a difference it would make to have someone to confide in, even if all we ever talked about was the stuff that didn't mean anything to anyone else.

Perhaps, when I don't feel quite so overwhelmed by it all, more friendships might arise from this partnership. His brothers and sisters all seemed just as friendly as him. Albeit, they were slightly more pushy, but kind nonetheless. I knew where that pushiness came from, however. They're desperate to make new friends in this new place. That desire is something everyone can relate to.

I just hoped they wouldn't turn out like all the other kids.

"Oh, that's lovely," she gushed, clasping her hands together. "Edward, your dad just got home. I'm not liking this six to six shift thing he's doing, I think a family chat is on the horizon. Anyway, I thought maybe you'd want to introduce Bella to—"

"What time is it?" I blurted out, panic-stricken when I heard her mention six to six. If he's home now, it must mean it's a little after six which is definitely not good.

"It's quarter past six," she told me, clearly surprised by my outburst.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you," I said swiftly, worried that I'd just upset my new friend's mother. "I just didn't realise it was that late. I really need to go."

Throughout my little explanation, I was trying very hard to keep the terror off of my face. A condition that came with living in my father's house was that I had to be home by half five every single night. When working, he usually doesn't get back until six. I'd never in my life risked being out later than half five for fear he would return early and find that I'm not there. A couple of minutes, perhaps, would be excusable. But, _forty-five_ minutes? I was going to get punished.

"Don't apologise, darling," she assured me, the friendly smile never leaving her face.

I fumbled manically with my shoes, trying to tie the laces with hands that were trembling more than the ground during a 7.5 magnitude earthquake. It took me three tries and even then, I hadn't done them properly. I'd have to be careful I don't trip descending the thousand stairs outside. Or, perhaps I should just untie the laces completely and hope I go face first down them. It would surely be better than what was waiting for me at home.

Edward hadn't said two words, he was just watching me blank-faced as I swung my ragged backpack over my shoulder. Esme looked concerned for me and all I could think was, _if only she knew.  
_  
"I'm sorry," I repeated, my thoughts incoherent with panic. I turned to look at Edward when I stepped out into the hallway, and said, "Thank you for today... and for not being like everyone else."

 ** **(Edward's POV)****

"Um, you're welcome," I said, barely finding my voice. "I'll walk you—"

She took off along the hallway before I could finish my sentence.

"Go after her," my mom snapped, throwing her hands up in frustration when I just sat there like an idiot.

I jumped up from the seat, unable to comprehend what the hell had just happened in the last minute of my life. How everything had suddenly went so wrong, I had no idea. Perhaps she had a curfew, or possibly somewhere she had to be. Whatever the reason, I was sure nothing in the world should make anyone look so afraid.

I was surprised by how far ahead of me she was, but I reached the bottom of one flight of stairs just in time to see her collide with my dad on the second floor landing. The impact knocked her over, and she landed on the carpet with a dull thud. If I wasn't so confused, I may have found it in me to laugh at the stunned expression on his face when he looked down at her. He recovered quickly, however, and practically dived forward to help her up—both of them apologising profusely to each other the entire time.

My mom finally caught up with me, skidding to an ungraceful stop at my side.

When Bella was upright again, she instantly jerked away from my dad's touch. I felt my mouth literally drop open in surprise. _What the hell is going on?_

"Are you alr—" he started to ask but she was gone, and none of us followed her.

My dad looked as though he didn't know what to do with himself, until he looked up and saw us standing at the top of the stairs. He held his hands out to the side as if to say _what on earth happened?  
_  
"You just met Bella," I mumbled, running my hands down my face.

"The girl you were talking about at dinner?" he asked and when I nodded, he frowned. "She has troubled eyes."

"Tell me about it," I said, trudging down the stairs with my mom to meet him. "I don't know what that was all about. She totally freaked when she realised the time and then ran out before either of us knew what was going on."

He hummed to himself, his frown deepening. "Very strange behaviour."

"She acted weird earlier with the others," I informed him, wondering if perhaps a doctor's opinion might make things a little clearer. "I think she was overwhelmed by all the attention."

"What were you doing exactly?"

"The project is a get-to-know-each other thing so we were... getting to know each other."

"I think you may be right about her being overwhelmed," he said, nodding. "If she's going to be around a lot, it'll probably take a little time for her to get used to us all."

"Emmett, Alice, Rosalie and Jasper ambushed her with the stupid video camera earlier. That was a terrible id—" I froze, face-palming. "Ugh, it's still recording in my room!"

"Make sure you edit out that last—"

"I will, don't worry."

I headed back to the security of my bedroom, noting that I could still smell what I assumed was either Bella's perfume or her shampoo. It didn't matter what it was, it smelled like flowers and I liked it.

I switched off the camera, sighing at the thought of editing the video. I'd have to watch it again anyway if I wanted to remember all the things she'd told me. Maybe I'd be able to figure out what was bothering her.

I sat back down on the sofa we'd shared, in her space rather than mine, and I thought to myself, _what a fucking day._


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**  
"Trust"

 ** **(Bella's POV)****

I trudged into school on Friday morning with only one thought on my mind; _is there anyone on this planet more pathetic than me?_ I suppose it's doubtful until you consider the fact that my father exists. If it were a competition, he would win.

After I completely humiliated myself in front of the only person I've ever met in this town who might be a decent human being, I returned home to a very red, very angry and very drunk Charlie. I don't think I'll ever find words to describe what it feels like. The physical side of things, though agonising, is the part I can deal with. Emotionally, psychologically, it's soul-destroying. Cuts, bruises, and broken bones will heal. But there is no needle out there big enough, nor any piece of thread long enough, to sew up the wounds of the heart. These days, I don't know how mine is still beating.

"Morning ugly duckling," Riley muttered, our shoulders connecting briefly, painfully, as he passed me in the hallway.

I sighed, noting that I'd certainly heard that one before. I wish I could say I had built up some sort of resistance to the disease that is other teenagers, kind of like after you've had chicken pox once, but I'd be lying to you. If anything, my body is weaker rather than stronger. I'll never understand where people find the desire to hurt someone, not for as long as I live.

I hadn't been in school most of the week and so Edward texted me on Wednesday night, asking if I was alright and telling me again not to worry about finishing the video; that he would edit it. I'm not sure what it was about the text that made me burst into tears. Was it his concern? Was it the embarrassment of the way I acted on Monday? Nonetheless, I pulled my bedsheets over my head and never replied.

I could have showed up to school I suppose, if I wanted to explain to everyone why I had a bruise the size of a fist on my neck. Injuries elsewhere can be covered pretty easily, and he usually avoids my face because he apparently isn't completely mentally unstable. My neck, however, is a rather difficult place to cover and I don't have money to spare for make up. I don't even own a scarf, something that would be considered an ill omen in a place like Forks. I had to literally invent one for today out of an old shirt because the bruise hadn't faded yet. I couldn't miss more school. My father can mess with my life all he wants for now but there is no way in hell I'm letting him ruin my future as well.

"Good morning, Bella," a terrifyingly familiar voice said from my left side. My soul might as well have abandoned my body then but I wasn't afraid. Edward was someone I didn't have to be frightened of. I was surprised to find that the second his presence was in mine, I was actually pleased to see him.

"Hi," I said, forcing myself to look him in the eye. "How are you?"

"I'm great, thanks. You look nice today," he said, and before I could even process the prospect of him complimenting me, he was already saying something else. "I sorted the video last night. There honestly wasn't that much to edit so it didn't take long. I just put it on a memory stick for Miss Watson to save onto her laptop... Are you good?"

I'd never heard anyone ramble more than me but he definitely just did.

"A little bit good," I replied, mildly amused.

"That's better than no good," he said, repeating his words from Monday. I wondered if we had unknowingly made that a _thing_.

 _Don't overthink it, Bella.  
_  
"Did I miss much?" I asked, filling the short silence.

"Not really," he said, shrugging. "Miss Watson wants to see our video before she assigns us a routine because she said she's having the teaching version of writer's block." He chuckled. "I think she's a bit mad."

"I think so too."

He grinned. "So, I was thinking—"

"Edward!" Jessica Stanley squealed, appearing out of thin air. Her friends watched from one of their lockers, looking more smug than ever. "We're skipping today. Do you want to c—"

"You know," he said, cutting her off sharply. "It's so fucking rude to just waltz into the middle of a conversation."

"Oh come on," she said, laughing loudly. It kind of sounded like a witch cackle. "I really don't think she can contribute much to a conversation."

I was genuinely surprised she actually referred to me as a girl rather than an it. In fact, what she'd just said was a compliment compared to some of her previous comments. I very nearly rolled my eyes at her very unoriginal insult but I kept my face parked in neutral. I really didn't want any sort of confrontation; people were already staring because Edward was standing next to me.

"She's nicer to talk to than you, so... goodbye," he said, gently taking my arm and towing me away from Tanya and her gawking entourage. I applauded on the inside.

The warning bell rung just afterward, alerting us that we had just a few minutes left to get to dance class. We walked quickly and after a moment or two Edward finally realised he was still holding onto me. I had been too angst-ridden to point it out which resulted in him having to awkwardly let go of me long after he should have. I felt my cheeks redden.

* * *

I winced, biting my lip painfully hard. It was all I could do to keep in the whimper. I tried to be gentle as I rubbed antiseptic cream into a carpet burn on my ribcage, but even the lightest of touches was unbearable. The area was pink and irritated with clothes scratching against it all week. I hadn't been able to treat it until today seen as we had nothing in the house. My father was gone early this morning so I took the small window of opportunity to ask one of the neighbours around the corner for something to treat a burn. Being the Cheif's daughter has its perks at times like this.

The bathroom stall only offered so much privacy and when I heard the main door open, I nearly stopped breathing just to ensure that I wouldn't be heard. Footsteps tapped slowly across the floor. I had to move quickly because lunchtime wouldn't last forever and I still had one more class to attend today. But every time my hand made contact with the skin there, my brain forced me to move it away from the pain.

Somewhere else was stinging and so I pulled my top off of my left shoulder to reveal the other carpet burn. I took a moment to look down at myself, hating what I saw. The discolouration of my skin would die down in a few days but it would surely be back again in no time. Various scars of various ages were permanent features all over my torso and a wave of nausea crashed over me like a tsunami. I hated myself, not just for the way I looked, but also because I was such a coward.

Tears sprung to my eyes and an unexpected, loud sob escaped my lips.

I froze, smacking my hands over my mouth.

"Is everything okay in there?" a small, sweet voice asked from the other side of the door.

I wanted to die right there and then on the disgusting bathroom floor. I knew the voice straight away, even though I'd only heard it all of once. Alice Cullen was on the other side of the stall door. I think the only possible thing that could have been worse was if it was Edward out there instead.

I squeezed my eyes shut, taking a deep breath through clenched teeth.

"Yes, everything is fine."

 _Did I sound convincing?  
_  
"Are you sure?" she asked, sounding exceptionally doubtful.

 _Definitely not convincing.  
_  
"Yes."

"I don't even have to see your face to know that you're lying," she said, though I was sure she didn't know who I was. "Please open the door. I can't walk out of here knowing someone is upset."

"No," I said, but it wasn't powerful enough to assert any kind of authority.

"I may be small but I am mighty. I'll break the door down and pay the price later."

I didn't reply because I was too busy trying to stop the tears rolling out of my ducts. I was too scared to speak in case the sound of my voice revealed the state I was really in. I was pretty much cornered and if I knew anything about Edward at all, I was pretty sure his sister would keep her word and truly attempt to break down the door.

"Well, you asked for it..."

I unlocked it just as she was stepping backwards—preparing for a run up.

"Jesus Christ, Bella, I didn't realise it was you in there," she said, darting forward worriedly. "I wouldn't have threatened to break down the door if I'd—... Are you okay?"

"Yes."

"Oh my goodness," she said, wrapping her small arms around me.

Automatically, I hugged her back. I hadn't had such close human contact with someone for years and all it made me do was cry even more, which alerted her that I was in fact a complete and utter wreck. I'm a terrible liar. The only secret I've ever been able to keep is the horrid relationship between my father and I, simply because it was one I had had no choice but to keep.

"Please help me," I begged, still clutching onto a girl who was no more than a stranger to me. The only reason I trusted her was because my heart knows it trusts Edward.  
"I'll help you," she promised, rubbing my back soothingly. "What do you need? Do you need a tampon? Or, uh, are you in trouble with someone? Like, did a guy get you in—"

I laughed through the tears. "No, no... I—I've hurt myself." I shook my head, unable to explain to her what it was I needed. How could I ask her to help me put cream on me? It was weird and she would surely be disgusted.

"Bella, it's okay," she said, wiping my tears as if she were my best friend. "Tell me exactly what you need me to do for you. I'll do it—no questions asked."

I sighed, sniffling before anything from my nose could slide down my face and embarrass me further. I wordlessly lifted up my shirt, not really knowing how to say it. I didn't want to look at her face when she saw what was there but I couldn't tear my eyes away.

I could see that she tried to hide the shock, the way she snapped her mouth shut when it opened wide, but it was too late. I had already seen. This made me want to go back in time to five minutes ago, before I'd made a bloody sound.

"It's alright," she assured me, swallowing loudly. "You're alright. Everything is alright."

I silently held the cream out to her, pleading with my eyes. "It hurts."

"Okay," she whispered. "Okay, okay. Let's close the door."

Then the two of us were in the bathroom stall together.

She gently took the tube of cream out of my trembling hand and wordlessly got to work. Her touch was foreign and I felt ill again, but it was easier than doing it myself. I closed my eyes and breathed through the sting. She apologised every time I so much as took in a sharp breath.

The main bathroom door opened suddenly but no footsteps sounded, almost as if someone was just poking their head in. Alice and I both froze.

"Alice, I've been waiting out here for ages!" someone snapped, sounding very flustered. "What the hell are you doing in there?"

"I'll be out in a minute, Rose!" she shouted but her voice cracked, sign-posting her stress.

"Is someone in there with you?" she asked, shocked.

"Pffft, no! What makes you think that?"

"Unless you're a fucking camel, I don't think you have four legs."

A laugh exploded out of my mouth and only then did I realise how hysterical I actually was. Alice grinned at my reaction, but there was something sympathetic in the gesture. It was as if she knew I wasn't exactly amused.

"Can I let her in?" she whispered to me timidly. "You can trust her with this, I promise."

I nodded carefully, unsure.

Alice slowly unlocked the stall door, gesturing for Rosalie to get in with us. She entered silently, not even asking why she had to. It was a tight fit but we made it work. I looked down, unable to explain myself to yet another person.

"We're helping Bella," Alice said, smiling reassuringly as she lifted up my shirt again.

Rosalie nodded, trying her damn hardest not to stare. "Okay, we're helping Bella."

Without another word, as if they'd known me forever, the two of them made sure to cover every inch of every graze. And perhaps to some this would look strange, the three of us crammed in here, but it was the single nicest thing anyone had ever done for me.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**  
"Odd"

 ** **(Edward's POV)****

The only decent thing about my lunch hour was that food was involved. Other than that, the sixty minutes were usually pretty tedious. Today was a little different, however, because my sisters had seemingly disappeared. A trip to the bathroom may as well have been a trip to Paris, considering the length of time they'd been gone. It was also different because I hadn't caught even a glance of Bella. I wondered if she'd gone home for some reason and then I had a full on debate with myself about whether or not I should text her. Last time I did that, she ignored me. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea.

"I say we send someone in there," Emmett said, the three of us loitering outside the door of the girl's bathroom. If anyone saw us here, they'd most definitely think we were up to something.

"After you," I said, grinning wickedly.

"I meant another girl," he replied, rolling his eyes. "They're all obsessed with you, Edward, so ask one of them to check. How about Jessica?"

"Like I need to give anyone more encouragement," I muttered, shaking my head. "No, I don't want my sisters punishing me for interrupting. Maybe something happened in there."

Jasper scoffed. "Like what?"

"I don't know," I said, shrugging. "As long as I'm not about to become an uncle, it's none of my business what they do."

"It's definitely not that," Jasper said, guffawing loudly.

"You sure?"

The two of them exchanged a wary glance.

"Oh God," I whispered, scrunching up my nose. "Yeah, let's just wait here.

Alice did open the door a crack at one point, but when she saw us standing there, she emitted a loud squeal and let the door slam shut. We all laughed, though we probably should have been more concerned. We decided just to leave after we knew that one of them was, at the very least, conscious.

* * *

I took refuge in my bedroom the first second I possibly could when we arrived home. My mood was solemn, the guys were irritating me, and the girls were acting strange. I didn't particularly want to spend time with any of them. When you've got a big family, it's sometimes necessary to have some time to yourself. It's a rare occasion in this house.

Perhaps I lay there for hours, staring up at my ceiling, or it could have been minutes. I wasn't really aware of how time was passing. Nonetheless, some time later my phone alerted me that I had a text.

 _'Make the world stop right here. Make everything stop and stand still and never move again. Make the moors never change and you and I never change.' B._

I frowned, re-reading the extract no less than a hundred times. I tried to get past the surprise of an unexpected text from Bella, in order to figure out what exactly it was that she meant. I would swear down on my mom's life that I'd read that somewhere before. I ran through a list of possible sources in my mind, quickly coming to the conclusion that it must be from a classic. I know that she knows I'm a fan of the classics, so she's expecting me to understand what she means and where she retrieved the words. Of course, it came to me fairly quickly.

 _Wuthering Heights... I should have known. E._

 _I want to stay here in my room forever, Edward. B._

 _If you did that, I would never get to see you. E._

 _You're allowed to visit. B._

 _Only me? E._

 _I like your sisters. I might let them come. And your mom, too. B._

I wasn't at all aware she was more acquainted with my sisters than the single time she'd met them here. I wracked my brain, trying to figure when and if I'd ever seen them conversing in school, but it was useless. I couldn't remember such a time. Unless... Before I could ask, she'd sent another text.

 _You'd have to come when my dad isn't around. He doesn't let me have people over. B._

 _Why is that? E._

 _If I could tell him something without fear, I would say, 'How cruel. Your veins are full of ice-water and mine are boiling.' B._

 _You're afraid of him? E._

 _I'm afraid of lots of things. B._

 _What's your biggest fear right this second? E._

 _You. B._

 _Me? E._

 _Yes. B._

 _You're afraid of me? E._

 _No, Edward. I'm afraid that you won't be around very long. I have to go. B._

I was left feeling even worse than I had before she texted me. She'd given me far too much information to comprehend but I'd rather know it than not know it. It was some sort of relief to have something to occupy my mind with, however, these revelations concerned me.

What is she hiding?

I stood from my bed, heading slowly towards my bookcase. I knew its arrangements by heart but it still took me a few moments to track down what I was looking for. I flicked through the pages, desperately trying to find Heathcliff's response to Cathy's words, seen as I couldn't for the life of me remember it.

 _'The moors and I will never change. Don't you,' Bella. E._

* * *

"How was your shift, dad?" Emmett wondered, plonking himself down into his usual chair at the dining table.

He didn't truthfully care to know the answer, we all knew that, but it was impossible for him to stand the silence we'd been subjected to. Alice and Rosalie were sitting having a very hushed discussion across from me, resulting in pointed glares every time one of them looked up. Jasper was sitting with one earplug dangling out of his ear; I could hear Muse blasting all the way from here. My parents weren't even making an effort to talk because my mom was too busy trying to figure out her new phone using only her index finger.

I nearly dropped my head to the table in despair.

"It was a quiet one," he mumbled, picking up his cutlery to begin eating. "We had a trauma come in at around 10am which was a bit of a nightmare but after that it was dead in that place. Waylon's nephew came in with a broken finger."

"Waylon's the guy with the boat, right?" I checked, still trying to get used to hearing all of these names in this new place.

"Yeah, that's the one," he said, grinning. "How's that girl doing? Bella, was it?"

"She's fine," Alice said, far too quickly. My suspicious-behaviour-sensor went through the roof in response. "She's totally fine."

"How would you know?" I asked, raising a single brow.

"I just know," she replied, shrugging a little too nonchalantly.

"Have you spoken to her in the last hour?"

Rosalie's head snapped up from her lap at that and the two of them sputtered out a _why_ at the exact same time, which resulted in only amusement from me. I had a funny feeling that their bathroom escapade had something to do with Bella, but I was far too much of a coward to ask what it was about. This was because I wasn't sure if I'd want to know, nor was I sure if it was something I _should_ know.

"No reason," I chortled. "I was just wondering."

"I'm getting the sense," said my dad, "that you all are keeping things from each other. I'll extend my assurance that if you are, it is not a wise idea."

"We bumped into Bella in the bathroom today, that's all," Rosalie informed us calmly.

"So _that's_ what was taking you so long. We thought one of you had committed a murder in there or something," Jasper said, laughing heartily. "Anything we ought to know about?"

"It was just girl talk," she said, smiling softly. "It's not a big deal."

None of us guys would let it go easily. "What sort of girl talk?" asked Emmett.

"The kind that guys aren't to know about."

"What kind is that?"

"Sex! Love! Periods!" Alice exclaimed, laughing when all four guys in the room cringed into their seats in somewhat terror. "Happy now?"

"I'll never ask again," Jasper muttered, putting his other earplug in.

I didn't miss the apprehensive glance the two girls shared, and I knew there was more to this. They were hiding something big and either they, or Bella, didn't want the rest of us to know a thing. Part of me didn't want to push it in case it truly was something embarrassing that none of them would thank me for knowing. However, a bigger part of me feared that this was way worse than _girl talk_.

I couldn't rule out the possibility of it just being my paranoia.

I went back to eating, letting my thoughts roam wherever they wanted to. They always seemed to find Bella whenever I let them wander and this time was no different. I had millions of unanswered questions about her strangeness and her fears. I wanted to know what she was doing now. For some odd reason, currently, I have an overwhelming urge to know that she is okay.

Perhaps because I now know that something about her father is frightening her.

I'd done my subtle research in school (asking other kids) and being the Chief of Police, he wasn't the type of person you'd think of as scary. Though, it certainly explains her severe overreaction when she was last here. I could only make guesses as to what it was that she was so afraid of. I queried whether or not it could be because he's strict with her. That sort of thing could be down to overprotectiveness after losing his wife all those years ago. But, strictness didn't seem to scream fear to me. Punishment, on the other hand, had the potential for fear plastered all over it.

How bad could a punishment be?

At best, you get grounded for a couple of weeks. At worst, you get your phone taken away—which, in Bella's case, wouldn't truly be much of a loss. I couldn't figure out why these common parental punishments would cause someone to be frightened. I didn't want to get carried away inside my brain. I mean, I might not even be heading down the correct route; it could have absolutely nothing to do with punishments.

I looked to my dad, who was already looking at me.

It was almost as if he'd been on that mental journey with me.

"Have you met the Chief of Police?" I asked, my voice cracking. Of course, my brothers laughed and then proceeded to mock me. I ignored them, waiting for an answer.

"Charlie?" he checked, and I nodded because I was sure that was his name. "I met him on my first day at the hospital because there was a disturbance in the waiting room."

"What's he like?"

"He didn't say much," he said, frowning at the memory. "I wasn't sure what to make of him. For the Chief of Police, he wasn't much of a people person."

"He has a daughter who goes to our school."

"I wouldn't have guessed he was a father," he mumbled, clearly surprised. "Who?"

"Bella."

My mom finally looked up from her phone, and Rosalie just about choked on the bit of food she'd just put in her mouth.

"Her dad is a police officer?" she half-shouted, coughing and sputtering.

"Edward, are you sure?" my dad asked, dropping his cutlery onto his plate. He looked a little taken aback by this news, as did my mom.

"100% sure."

"I was putting it lightly before," he said, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "The guy was... unnerving. His intensity made me uncomfortable. Did Bella mention him to you?"

"Only briefly," I lied, refusing to share the little information I had until I knew more.

He sighed. "What an odd pair."

"You're telling me."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**  
"Forest"

 ** **(Bella's POV)****

 _'The moors and I will never change. Don't you,' Bella._

I kept reading the text over and over, wondering how anyone as perfect as Edward could exist? The comparison between him and myself was almost laughable and it felt totally pathetic that my heart was responding the way it was to his words, even after I'd read them a _hundred_ times.

Though my father and I had both been in the house at the same time the last couple of days, I hadn't seen him once. It certainly was something to be concerned about. The lack of encounters meant that he would have pent up anger and I would be on the receiving end, like always. The thought itself made me shudder as I made my way down the hallway towards dance class.

Just as I was reading Edward's text for the 101st time, my phone started ringing. I fumbled with it, startled, and it nearly clattered to the floor.

"Hi?"

"Hey," Edward said, far too enthusiastically. "What are you doing?"

"Um, heading to dance class. I was under the impression you would be doing that too."

He laughed loudly. "Come to the parking lot."

"Come to class."

"We've been excused from class, thanks to my charm," he said smugly. "Just come to the parking lot. I'm by my car."

I stopped in the hallway, debating whether or not to do as he said. "Why?"

"It's a surprise."

"I don't like surprises."

"I promise you'll like this one," he said, and I could imagine him smiling. "Trust me."

"No."

"Yes."

"No," I whispered, throwing my head back in frustration. "I'll be two minutes."

* * *

The smugness was just radiating out of him as I approached, so much so that I almost considered turning around and heading to Miss Watson's studio. I didn't, however, because I knew how much worse class would be without Edward beside me. It was wrong of me to depend on him but having him there seemed to decrease any snide remarks thrown my way. I'd noticed on the first day that there was something intimidating about him, at first glance, and our peers didn't seem to miss this fact. They'd noticed Edward and I's brewing friendship and they were wary now.

"I'm only here because going to class alone would be worse," I mumbled, keeping my head down and my eyes firmly on the ground.

"I agree," he said quietly, opening the passenger door of his Volvo for me.

"How did you convince Miss Watson this was a good idea?" I wondered, turning to face him before he could shut the door behind me.

"It wasn't difficult," he said, chuckling. It really didn't answer my question.

He gently closed the passenger door, and jogged around to the driver's side. He slid into the car effortlessly and I was again overcome with the realisation that he didn't even have to try. I couldn't count on one hand the amount of times I'd smacked my head off of the roof trying to climb into my truck.

"Out of curiosity," he said, putting his keys in the ignition. "Have you bumped into my sisters today?"

I tried to keep the _deer caught in headlights_ look off of my face in order to act casual.

"I don't think I've seen them today," I said, distracting myself by pulling the seatbelt across my body and clicking it securely in place.

"I think they were looking for you earlier."

"Oh," I mumbled, looking outside at the rain starting to pour down on the town. I wondered if I was as transparent as the water, though I think I already knew the answer to that in some ways was _yes_.

We were both deadly silent as he pulled out of the parking lot, his face angled slightly towards me, and his eyes locked on the road in front of us. His jaw was clenched shut and anyone sitting here would know that something was on his mind. The only reason I didn't ask was because I had a funny feeling I didn't want to know the answer.

He coughed, glancing at me. "Did you get Miss Watson's email?"

"Yeah," I said meekly. "Where do we even begin with an original routine?"

"We have to find a song," he said, offering me a smile.

"Where are we going, Edward?"

"My house... sort of."

"You're lucky I'm a patient person."

"We're going _behind_ my house," he clarified, laughing quietly. "But the exact location is still a surprise."

His concentration moved back to the road then; the rain wasn't too heavy but a thick mist was seriously messing with our visibility. Even with the fog lights on, it was obvious that Edward was struggling to see ahead of us. Anxiety swirled in my chest. I'm sure these driving conditions would make anyone a little nervous.

I appreciated Edward's cautious manoeuvres and though I had already known he was sensible, this confirmed that. His expression didn't waver once, he was completely relaxed and this made me more comfortable. As much as I hated to risk it, I knew I had to put a little more trust in him. He wouldn't let anything bad happen.

"Geez," he muttered, squinting his eyes. "What is with the weather in this place?"

"Was it like this in Alaska?"

"Alaskan winters could be crazy sometimes but I've never seen anything like _this_. I'd swear the forecast is the definition of bipolar."

"It's definitely something."

"Moving here from Phoenix must have been a massive change for you, being so young and everything too," he said, shifting in his seat.

I shrugged. "I guess. I think I was too little to really understand what was going on; I thought it was rather adventurous. Besides, you know I like the cold weather."

"I'm curious," he said, shifting again. I was gathering that he was concerned about my reaction to his questions.

"About?"

"If you could move back to Phoenix right now, would you want to?"

There was something strange about him asking this; I felt as though our entire conversation had been leading up to that single question. Nonetheless, I wasn't sure how to answer. It was something I had never thought about until this second.

There are so many things that made me want to say _yes_. My mind is fully aware that my mom is never coming back but my poor heart refuses to accept this fact. A tiny part of me wished that, if I were to go back to Phoenix, she would be there waiting for me. I hadn't had much time to really form a relationship with her, not like the one we would have now if she were still around, and though I don't remember much of those first four years, I know how much I loved her.

I also had to ask myself; did me hypothetically moving back to Phoenix include my father's company? I was assuming the answer to that was yes and so, if I had to choose between staying in two places with Charlie Swan, I would undoubtedly choose here.

"No, I wouldn't want to."

* * *

I shivered, knowing already that I was going to end up ill. The thin, black sweater I was wearing didn't offer much protection from the cold. I had wrapped my rubbish makeshift scarf around my neck twice in a feeble attempt to stay warm. I probably looked like an escapee patient from an asylum.

"So, uh, we're going in there?" I asked, eyeing the forest sceptically.

"Don't sound so worried," he said, laughing for the umpteenth time. "I did tell you we were going behind my house."

"You did," I agreed. "What you didn't tell me was that you were a convicted murderer."

"Oh, I'm not a convict. I never get caught," he said, winking mischievously.

I gave him a flat look. My nerves were already stretched tight on a daily basis because of my father and because of school. I certainly didn't need situations like this one making it a whole lot worse. His antics were soothing, however, even if I was a little anxious.

"Are you sure it's safe?"

"Bella, I won't let anything bad happen to you," he promised, rolling his eyes dramatically. "We just have to find some inspiration."

"Your phone has internet, right?" I asked. He nodded, staring at me incredulously. "Uh, don't look at me like that. The authorities are going to put mine in a museum because it's an ancient artefact."

"You're pretty funny," he said, as if this was something he'd just realised. "But, what's your point?"

"We could just look at pictures online," I said, glancing warily into the distance where the same thick fog had limited visibility extremely.

"We could," he said, smiling as he took my wrist gently in his hand. "However, I was under the impression you were quite in love with the forest."

"Madly, deeply," I muttered as sarcastically as I could when he practically dragged me under the canopy of trees. "We have our issues, though, and I tend not to be too fond of this place when it looks like something out of a horror film."

"Like I said, I won't let anything bad happen to you."

The whole sentence was dripping with foreshadowing.

* * *

An hour and a half we spent in the creepy forest, and we were no closer to coming up with a song for our routine. Perhaps if the weather didn't have me so freaked out about being in there, things would have went better. Furthermore, I couldn't even concentrate on the task at hand because Edward's presence had me _not_ focused on school.

"So, that was a terrible idea," he concluded as we approached his house.

"It was actually a rather imaginative idea," I said, trying to reassure him. "If I wasn't so paranoid, I would have been very inspired."

He laughed loudly, carelessly, and the lovely sound sent a wave of butterflies crashing through my stomach.

"Very true," he agreed, opening the back door to let me enter first.

"Are you sure I'm welcome after—"

"You're always welcome here."

As if to prove his point, Edward's mother was standing there waiting for us. She smiled warmly, enveloping me in a hug the second she could get her arms around me. For once, the human contact didn't startle me; it just made me crave more. I eagerly hugged her back, even though I wasn't sure why it was happening.

"I thought I heard you laughing," she said, grinning at Edward when she released me.

"You did indeed, mom."

She hummed thoughtfully. "How was your nature escapade?"

"Exceptionally horror film-ish," he said, throwing me smile. "We'll have to go back when there isn't a chance Chucky will come forth from the fog."

For some reason, I found the sentence absolutely hilarious, and I couldn't contain the laughter that burst out of me. Edward looked startled at first but clearly found my amusement somewhat amusing.

"I'm sorry," I said, when I finally regained control of myself. "I don't know why—"

"Honey, never apologise for being happy," Esme said, tucking some of my hair behind my ear tenderly.

I nodded, smiling.

The moment felt a little bittersweet — for me at least. Part of me would always feel sorrow whenever an ounce of happiness would creep its way in. Perhaps because my own mother was no longer here. Or, maybe because I knew that my father would ruin any positivity as soon as he had the chance. I suppose that's the sad thing about being happy; it's never a permenant fixture of this life.


	12. Chapter 12

****A/N:**** Sending my condolences across the pond to any of my American readers who have been directly or indirectly affected by the recent school shooting. I know thoughts and prayers won't do all that much but I'll offer them anyway. Be brave, stay strong, and remain persistent. I sincerely hope that change will come, whatever that change may be. 

****Chapter 12****  
"Concern"

 ** **(Edward's POV)****

Reading a book has got to be one of the most spectacular things in life. The moment you can feel yourself slipping slowly away from this world and into another one entirely is beyond explanation. I find it disorientating when something drags me quickly back to reality, especially when it's the sound of my sisters' hushed voices right outside my door.

I soundlessly stood from my sofa, creeping over to listen in.

"—told us not to tell anyone," Rosalie hissed.

"We can't keep something like this a secret," Alice argued in a whisper. "Something really bad could be happening to her."

"Surely she would tell someone if that was the case."

"She could be frightened," Alice said, as if it were common sense. "Anyway, we can ask Edward to invite her over next weekend for a movie night or something."

At that, I yanked the door open—instantly alarmed.

The two of them jumped backwards, squealing in fright.

"Get in," I snapped, pointing behind me.

They did, looking more sheepish than ever. I had already known they were acting strange; they're my sisters, I know them better than anyone. However, after hearing them at dinner last week and hearing them just there, I am now 100% it has something to do with Bella. At any rate, whoever it was about, it was pretty concerning.

"It's rude to eavesdrop," Rosalie muttered, folding her arms across her chest.

"You were standing right outside my room," I replied, gesturing around me. "What did you expect to happen?"

"You to politely wait until one of us knocked," she said. "I mean, it's not as if—"

"You know what? Enough of this shit," I interrupted, not wanting to waste any time arguing with either of them. "What the hell is going on with you two?"

"I don't know what you're—"

"Don't give me that. I know it has something to do with Bella, I'm not an idiot. Has something happened?"

"No," they said simultaneously but their denial was weak. They would tell me.

"Clearly it has," I probed, trying to keep my exasperation out of my tone. "Is she—" I sighed, not really knowing how to ask. "Well, is she _okay_?"

They shared a glance, one that could only be described as wary, and their lack of response effectively answered my question.

"I swear to God," I snapped. "One of you better tell me what's going on."

"Um—"

"I'll call her and ask her myself," I warned them. I was taking no prisoners tonight. "I'll call her right now."

"Don't!" Alice squealed, waving her hands around in panic. "We'll... We'll tell you."

* * *

The unexpectedness of life is often the most wonderful thing about it, yet it can also result in occurrences of the most tragic nature. What we don't know, what is impossible to know, is how we are going to respond. When the ball comes towards us, will we catch it? Or, will we let it hit us in the face?

"Why didn't you tell me straight away?" I whispered, a wave of nausea crashing over me.

"We didn't know what to do," Rosalie said, biting her lip nervously. "At first, we weren't really sure what to think about it. At the time, she was in so much pain that none of us questioned why she needed help. We just did it."

I ran my hand through my tousled hair, a habit I've had for as long as I can remember. I felt dizzy almost. A thousand different words, moments, images were firing around my head—all of them regarding Bella. I couldn't figure out what this meant and I wasn't sure I was prepared for knowing.

"W-what... Uh..." I groaned, unable to formulate a coherent sentence.

"It was like burns," Alice said, obviously guessing what I was trying to ask. "But that wasn't all. There were bruises, too, and some raised scars."

"I need to check on her. I could drive—"

"Edward, wait," Alice called, grabbing my arm before I could move for my keys. "There's more."

"What is it?"

"You literally cannot tell dad we did this because he will kill us," she said, her face so serious I was instantly worried.

"Cross my heart," I promised.

"We overheard him and mom talking about Doctor Ramsay leaving town. He said all of Doctor Ramsay's patients were getting divided between the other three doctors. He... He told mom that Bella has been referred to him."

"That's not really a big deal," I mumbled, utterly confused.

"It's about to be," Rosalie said, laughing for some reason. "He started saying something about another encounter with Bella's dad at the hospital but Emmett, being the fucking buffoon that he is, cut their conversation short when he walked in. So, we snuck into dad's office during the night last night."

"You're right, he'll kill you if he finds out," I confirmed, shaking my head. "Find anything?"

"A document," Alice replied, practically jumping up and down on the spot. "I take it after finding out Bella was being referred to him, dad would have read through her medical files. Anyway, the thing we found on his desk was about a next of kin."

"I don't understand where this is going..."

She huffed exasperatedly. "Both dad and the Chief of Police have signed it."

"What?"

"As in, dad is now Bella's next of kin."

* * *

 _Hey. I just thought I'd check in on you. E_

I hovered my finger over the button that would send the text, wondering whether or not me checking in would make her in any way suspicious. I didn't want her to think I was obsessed, though part of me feared I admittedly was, and I certainly didn't want her to think my sisters had betrayed her trust.

Also, unsurprisingly, I was worried.

It's rather strange how one can grow to have concern for another human in such a short space of time. Yet it somehow made sense; Bella made it make sense. Her fragility, her sweetness, made it impossible not to fret. If others took the time that I had to talk to her, I was sure they would feel the same.

Reclined on the living room sofa, I sighed and hit send.

What harm could it do? If anything it might make her feel better, knowing that she is being thought of. What she didn't have to know was how frequently her name crossed my mind. The strange little friendship we'd built was something I didn't want to jeopardize, for her sake more than mine.

My mom called my name and I moved robotically, habitually, to find her. I knew where to go, for she would be doing the same thing she always is on a Sunday evening: making the epitome of a Sunday dinner.

"You called?" I asked, giving her the giant smile I saved only for her.

"I haven't seen you all day," she said, pulling a tray of roast potatoes out of the oven to check on them. "Is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine," I said, trying to force as much reassurance into my tone as possible. My phoned buzzed in my hand. "I guess I'm just pretty tired. Coming up with ideas for dance class is tough... especially when we have to put together our own routine."

 _My clumsiness hasn't killed me yet, if that's what you mean. B._

I laughed out loud, clamping my mouth shut when my mom raised an inquisitive brow at my outburst. I didn't have to tell her who it was, she knows. I typed out a reply, not caring that I was meant to be in the middle of a conversation.

 _That was only a portion of what I meant. Are you good? E._

"Have you chosen a song yet?" my mom wondered, throwing a white dish towel over her shoulder so that it rested there, ready to be used again whenever she needs it.

I shook my head. "No, nothing we've discussed feels right."

She pursed her lips thoughtfully and I could see it in her eyes, that motherly love. She was trying to help me, though she didn't know the first thing about dancing, and I loved her more than anything for it. She is as good a mom as they come.

 _I'm a little bit good. How about you? B._

"I have an idea," she said, grinning triumphantly. "You two have this whole unique thing going on, right?"

"Um, I guess?"

"Edward, haven't you considered merging that uniqueness into the music as well?"

"I'm not sure what you're getting at," I admitted, perplexed by the excited sparkle in her familiar green eyes.

"Honey, you've pushed your other talents to the back of your mind for some strange reason. You've been so distracted the last couple of days," she said, her grin softening to an affectionate smile. "Why don't you _write_ the music?"

"Do you think Bella would like that?" I asked, a little too eager. "I mean, do you think she'll think that's a good idea?"

"Sweetheart," she said, laughing quietly, "I'm sure she'll love it."

 _Don't worry about me. I have a suggestion, courtesy of my mom. E._

 _Should I be worried? B._

 _If you trust me, you have nothing to worry about at all. E._

 _I trust you. B._

 _Then I'll see you tomorrow morning. E._


	13. Chapter 13

****Chapter 13****  
"Knowing"

 ** **(Edward's POV)****

I knew the feeling rising in my chest very well after the last couple of days, though I was excellent at hiding it. I'm not the kind of guy who gets nervous, or who feels anxious over anything, but I undountedly was right now. This whole thing was irking me, I noticed, so much so that I felt anger boiling beneath my skin.

"Wait, I'm definitely not ready," Emmett said, wringing his hands. "Go through the plan one more time."

Here the five of us stand, in the parking lot of Forks High School, freaking out by my car.

"Emmett," I groaned, throwing my head back. "Look, it's not hard—"

"Just improvise," Rosalie snapped, leaning around me to slap Emmett's shoulder. "I think she'll get suspicious if you fucking rehearse it."

"She's going to be suspicious anyway," Jasper muttered, speaking up for the first time today. "I mean, the timing is a little convenient. It's been, what, a week... since you two had that _encounter_ with her?"

We're currently trying to work out some sort of subtle plan that will result in Bella staying at our house on Friday night. I didn't have any problem whatsoever with her staying overnight, I just wasn't sure whether or not she would actually want to. I've sort of gathered this whole friendship thing is new to her.

"Who cares if she gets suspicious?" Alice whined, stomping her short legs exasperatedly. "I have said it before and I'll say it again: this could be serious. It's nice that we want to be friends with her so badly, but we need to get her to talk."

"What do you mean by _serious_?" Jasper asked her, raising a single brow.

"She could be... _you know_... hurting herself."

"From what you described to me, it doesn't sound like she's self-harming," I mumbled, frowning down at the ground. I felt as if I was waiting for it to answer all the questions bouncing around my head. "And from what I know of her, the shoe doesn't fit."

"How else do you describe what we saw, then?"

"I don't know," I muttered, my head snapping up only when I heard something that sounded like a gunshot. I would have laughed if I didn't feel so ill. It was just Bella's truck rolling into the parking lot.

The hallway was dense with teenagers making their way to the cafeteria for lunch. It felt as though every single student had come from the same direction and was headed for the same place. It didn't help my growing irritation one bit; it made me want to shove and kick my way through. I didn't care who got hurt in the bedlam, as long as it wasn't anyone I cared about.

"There she is," Emmett said, nearly shoving his hand through someone's head when he pointed ahead of us. It was just the two us, left to go about this in the way we thought best.

I saw her then, trying to weave through the crowd undetected. It was the first time I'd observed her walking through the hallway alone. She'd been with me fairly often. For someone of her height, it shouldn't have been a difficult task, but I could see the many eyes on her as she passed. Her slight form was nearly swallowed up by them but my eyes were locked on her hair as we tried to get to her. Eyes were on us, too, since we were still new in the eyes of the student body. They moved out of the way for us but they didn't do that for her. It was like watching a lamb take on a lion.

"Hi, Edward, how—"

"Hi," I mumbled, not even looking to see who had spoken.

We were nearly behind her now but neither of us wanted to call her name, for it would draw unnecessary attention to the three of us. I doubted Bella would thank us for it, even though it would make everything so much easier.

I cringed, watching as she ducked under someone's flailing arm, only to be shoved violently to the side by a passing Mike Newton. I knew him, only because he was Jessica Stanley's boyfriend, and I'd hated her since my first day after hearing her slander Bella in dance class. He pushed Bella so hard, in fact, that she crashed into the lockers to the left of us. Her books slid out of her arms, landing unorganised on the floor. I saw him laugh, his lips curling up in a way comparable to the Grinch, and he loomed over her tauntingly.

I was undone.

"Hey," I snapped, pushing him with so much force that I hoped it would send him through the fucking wall.

The sound of Bella hitting the lockers hadn't turned many heads, I assumed because it was a regular occurrence. Also, her size meant that the impact wasn't loud. However, the blaring sound of rattling metal echoing down the entire hallway when Mike hit the lockers had almost every head inclined in our direction.

"What the fuck, Cullen?" he sneered, regaining his balance with some effort.

"Why the hell are you looking at me like you didn't deserve that?" I questioned rhetorically, stepping towards him unthinkingly. "If you ever touch her again—"

"He'll knock you the fuck out," Emmett said, cracking his knuckles loudly.

I glared at him over my shoulder, knowing that threatening assault wasn't wise; even though that was technically what I was about to do. He shrugged in response. "Well, what's he gonna do? Tell the teacher?" He guffawed loudly, the sound of amusement making Mike jump.

Mike tried to look like it hadn't bothered him, what we'd said, but I could see him calculating his chances. It seemed they weren't that great, for he turned without another word and disappeared into the unmoving crowd. I gave them all a look that said, _show's over_ , and they finally continued their trek to the cafeteria.

I rolled my eyes, crouching down to gather Bella's books. She nearly smacked her head off of mine in her haste to help and I chuckled, instantly feeling more relaxed now that I was physically with her. How strange.

"You didn't need to do that," she said quietly, reaching to grab the same book I had. Our hands brushed and I nearly imploded, the sudden contact sending a wave of heat up my entire arm. She caved, letting me pick it up.

"Yes, I did... Are you good?"

She smiled, looking down to retrieve her books from my outstretched hands. "I'm a little bit good. Are you?"

"I am now," I told her honestly, grinning when her eyes met mine.

"Um," Emmett mumbled, tapping my shoulder impatiently. "I'm still here, you know."

"So you are," I replied as sarcastically as I possibly could, without even casting a look in his direction. "Would you like to eat lunch with us, Bella?"

"I don't usually eat in the—"

"I know you haven't eaten in there since our first day but we'll all be with you so nothing bad can possibly happen." She nodded, trusting me enough to take my word for it. "Besides, I still have to tell you about my mom's suggestion."

That was that. The three of us headed to the cafeteria, the hallway quieter now than it had been five minutes ago. We stuck close together, nonetheless, and my former irritation had faded quite immensely. It was just the angst looming over me like a guillotine now.

We let Bella go ahead of us in the queue, realising only then that they had some sort of unusual buffet thing going on today. The food didn't look all that appetising being served to us, never mind when they just let us all fend for ourselves.

Emmett nudged me and my eyes met his in an instant, silently asking what he wanted.

He looked fiercely amused all of a sudden.

" _I am now_ ," he mocked in a whisper and I literally felt his spit hit my earlobe. That combined with what he'd said nearly had me smacking him.

"Shut up, moron," I snapped, elbowing his gut.

Bella looked up at me then, her gaze full of wonder. She clearly hadn't heard either of us, otherwise she'd probably be blushing like hell, but she certainly was curious about what had just happened between my brother and I.

I just continued to silently fill my tray, wondering why there was nothing connecting the filter in my brain to my mouth. I could say the same about my brother, it was one of the few things that made us alike. My siblings and I were all polar opposites and it was a uniqueness that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world.

As we headed to our usual table, I felt more than one pair of eyes on us. It was ridiculous but it was no surprise. Above all, Mike Newton was trying to destroy me with _his_ eyes and it was so beyond pathetic that all I could do was grin at him. If it weren't for the fact he knew I'd crack his skull, I think he'd have punched me in the middle of the cafeteria. Jessica was by his side, hanging all over him, but she knew better than to look our way. Angela and Eric were with them, but they were the ones I felt sorry for, because as lovely as they are they don't have it in them to go against the flow.

I sat by Bella, figuring she would need the moral support. There were more people looking at her than usual, purely because she was with us. I was overcome with the realisation that we are living in a backwards world.

"Everyone is staring," she said quietly to me, looking down at her hands. They were clasped together tightly, nervously.

"Let them," I whispered, nudging her playfully. She smiled at that and a wave of accomplishment washed over me. If nothing else, at least I could draw a smile from her.

"Are you sure I'm not... sort of..." She frowned, finally looking up at me. It was clear that she didn't know how to say what she wanted to say so I shook my head at her, almost positive that my answer to her question would be _no_.

"Eat," I told her, jerking my head towards her tray of untouched food. She didn't look impressed by it and neither was I. The showdown in the hallway had pretty much destroyed my appetite. The thought of that happening when nobody was there to stop it enraged me and it had me sending a death glare in Mike Newton's direction.

"So," said Bella, interrupting my silent threat. "What is your mom's suggestion?"

"I'm a little nervous to tell you in case you wound my ego," I joked, though part of me genuinely wasn't sure about voicing it. "It's slightly embarrassing."

"Just tell me," she whined impatiently, raising her eyebrows in a way that made me laugh. "I'll assume it's much worse than it actually is if you don't."

"Okay, okay," I said, holding my hands up in surrender. "My mom figures we have this whole unique thing; you know, with the video and choreographing our own routine."

"I agree," she said, finally taking a bite out of an apple on her tray. "Continue."

I chuckled. "She suggested that we keep that theme going with the music as well. I could write something."

The look on her face was comical. I'm not sure what she was expecting me to say but that was definitely not it. I couldn't help but be a bit anxious, no matter how ridiculous it was to feel that way. The worst she could say is that she didn't like the idea but I was unexpectedly, irrationally desperate to impress her.

"Really?"

"Edward is very musical," Rosalie complimented, the others finally choosing their time to join the conversation. I was worried Bella would be overwhelmed again but she seemed unfazed when they made themselves known.

"He never mentioned," she said, cocking her head to the side questioningly.

"He's also very modest," Rosalie added, laughing. "Sometimes."

"What do you play?" Bella wondered, seeming genuinely interested in this fact. It eased my nerves instantly.

"Piano," I replied, more breathless than I had anticipated. Why was her interest increasing my heart rate?

"Are you decent enough to get us a pass?" she asked.

I laughed loudly, recalling when I'd asked her that question with relation to her dancing.

"I hope so," I replied, mimicking her exact answer.

My siblings looked confused as all hell but that didn't matter, they didn't have to know what was funny. Some things are better kept between two people and away from the eyes of others. I wondered what the four of them were thinking right now.

"Then we _have_ to use your music for our routine," she said, shrugging as if it were obvious.

"My mom suggested I write something but I actually think I might already have a new piece we could use."

"I have to ask, please will you play it for me next time we're near a piano?"

I smiled, knowing that this was precisely the opportune moment we had been waiting for to ask Bella to stay with us this weekend. Alice looked as though her eyes were about to pop out of her skull, the way she was looking at me, and it offended me slightly that she must think I'm a complete idiot. Asking now would make it seem less planned.

"How about this weekend?" I blurted out, before I could chicken out. "Alice and Rosalie were going to ask if you wanted to stay at our house on Friday night. We could start working on our routine."

"Really?" Bella asked, seemingly awed by the invitation. "I mean, are you sure?"

"Of course!" Alice squealed, grinning excitedly. "We would love to spend some time with you, Bella. We can have a girly night."

"Oh u-um," she stuttered, completely flustered and unprepared for the situation. "I w-would love to but I don't know if... I don't know if my father would let me."

"I'm sure he won't mind one night—" Alice started but Bella shook her head, seemingly sure of something that we didn't know.

"He's overprotective, remember?" she said, looking up at me anxiously. It was as if she wanted me just to accept what she was saying and defend her, as usual, but there was something alarming me in her expression.

Her eyes were speaking a completely different language than she was and all I could identify in them was fear. She didn't want to ask him. She was too afraid to ask him. I'd put her angst surrounding him down to strictness. However, this was more, and the realisation of what this might mean hit me like a tonne of bricks. I couldn't catch my breath for a second and I could feel my face morphing into a mask of utter horror.

The way she got suddenly cagey when I asked about her family, the terror that adorned her face when she realised the time, her unexplained injuries, the fear in her eyes when she realised she would have to ask him if she could stay with us... Dance class was no longer at the forefront of my mind; everything that had happened over the last couple of weeks was now firing around my brain. I had so many questions. There were things that hadn't made sense before that seemed blatantly obvious now.

"Bella—"

"Edward," Jasper snapped, grabbing a fistful of my shirt and half dragging me from my chair. My other brother was quick to join him in manoeuvring me through the cafeteria.

I didn't even react to them at first because I was too busy trying to collect my thoughts but it dawned on me suddenly that I needed to stay with Bella. They got me to about half way to the doors before I twisted around, freeing myself from their weak grasps. However, they simply grabbed me again.

"Let the fuck go," I snapped, feeling a burst of anger rise inside my chest. I tried to contain it, tried to keep my voice quiet, but it still had people looking at us.

"Shut up!" they exclaimed in unison, shoving me towards the doors.

They waited until we were out of anyone's sight and earshot before they let me go. I stumbled forward because I'd been trying so hard to get away from them. I put my hands on my knees, willing the rage to subside so that I could think coherently.

"What the fuck was that?" Jasper snapped, shoving my shoulder roughly.

"What the fuck was what?"

"The way you were looking at her," he hissed, looking at me as if I was a complete fool. "I've never seen you look so angry."

"I'm fine," I said throwing my hands up. It wasn't convincing.

"You didn't see your own face in that moment," he argued, tugging at his curly hair. "I didn't know what you were going to say to her so I just grabbed you."

"I wasn't going to say anything to upset her, I—"

"Edward, you're not a rational thinking creature when you're pissed off," Emmett said, the two of them officially ganging up on me. "I don't know what's crawled up your—"

"Are you serious?" I exclaimed, almost slamming my fist into the nearest locker. I controlled it. "Am _I_ serious? I can't believe I didn't fucking figure it out straight away!"

"Edward, man, what's going on?" Jasper asked, resting his hand on my shoulder. I shrugged him off, too irked to find reassurance in the gesture.

"It's the Chief of Police," I muttered, unsure of what the Hell to do now. "It has to be her dad. He's hurting her."


End file.
